Department for Transport

Railways: Safety

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Personal Track Safety cardholders  are (a) currently employed by Network Rail and (b) employed by Network Rail’s top 20 suppliers.

Joseph Johnson: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 06 December 2017.The correct answer should have been:

a) 5,044 19,199 b) 16,856

Paul Maynard: a) 5,044 19,199 b) 16,856

Transport: Per Capita Costs

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will take steps to reduce the difference in the amount spent per person between (a) London and (b) Yorkshire and the Humber on transport infrastructure.

Joseph Johnson: Investment decisions are made based on a rigorous and fair appraisal process that ensures spending goes to the projects and programmes where it is most needed and delivers greatest value-for-money for taxpayers and passengers. For these reasons, the Department does not allocate funding to transport on a ‘per head of population’ basis. Moreover, recent analysis by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) suggests that central government transport investment is relatively balanced across regions.

Transport: Per Capita Costs

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to take steps to ensure equality between regions on spending per person on transport infrastructure.

Joseph Johnson: Investment decisions are made based on a rigorous and fair appraisal process that ensures spending goes to the projects and programmes where it is most needed and delivers greatest value-for-money for taxpayers and passengers. For these reasons, the Department does not allocate funding to transport on a ‘per head of population’ basis. However, recent analysis by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority showed that planned central government transport investment is relatively balanced across regions. Between 17/18 and 20/21, the North will receive £1,039 per head, while the South will receive £1,029 per head.

Exercise

Jeff Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to encourage more people to run to work; and if he will make it his policy to expand the cycle-to-work scheme to include running equipment.

Jesse Norman: The Government’s cycle to work scheme allows employers to loan bicycle and bicycle safety equipment to employees as a tax-free benefit. The scheme is one of the many ways in which the Government is supporting active travel choices, as set out in the 2017 Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy. The Department has produced guidance, which it plans to update shortly, to encourage employers to take advantage of the scheme, but it has no plans to expand it to include running equipment.

Electric Vehicles

Andy McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of charging points for electric vehicles there will be in the UK on (a) 1 January 2019, (b) 1 January 2020 and (c) 1 January 2021.

Jesse Norman: The Government provides funding for the installation of both on-street and off-street charging infrastructure, plus support to enable workplaces to install infrastructure for use by employees and fleets. As a result, thanks to Government leadership, local authority engagement and a growing private sector, the UK now has over 11,500 publically accessible chargepoints, including over 900 rapid chargepoints. This is one of the largest rapid networks in Europe. Almost every motorway service area also has at least one rapid chargepoint, and some have several. Highways England has committed to ensure there are chargepoints every 20 miles on 95% of the strategic road network. To build on this, we are taking powers through the Automated and Electric Vehicle Bill to ensure the further roll-out of electric vehicle infrastructure at key locations such as motorway service areas. As announced at Autumn Budget 2017, a new £400m electric car Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund (£200m new Government investment to be matched by private investors) will accelerate the roll-out of charging infrastructure in response to market demand by providing access to finance to companies that deliver chargepoints. We will also publish a strategy in the coming months on the Government’s role in the de-carbonisation of road transport, which will comprehensively address the issues relating to chargepoints for all electric vehicles, not simply cars.

Roads: Accidents

Sir Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, in how many road traffic accidents poor driver eyesight was a significant contributory factor in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jesse Norman: The table below shows the number of accidents in which the contributory factor of uncorrected, defective eyesight was reported, by accident severity, in Great Britain for the years 2012 to 2016. Number of accidents where a contributory factor of uncorrected, defective eyesight was attributed to the accidentYearFatalSeriousSlightTotalPercentage of all reported accidents20126591862510.2%20139511822420.2%20149561952600.2%201510481742320.2%20167571291930.2%Source: DfT STATS19 Please note that not all accidents are included in the contributory factor data. Only accidents where the police attended the scene and reported at least one contributory factor are included. A total of 73% of accidents reported to the police in 2016 met these criteria.

Home Office

Randox Testing Services

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2018 to Question 123704, on Randox Testing Services, which forensic guidelines Randox Testing Services were following during the period in which they were providing Section 5A drug analysis services to the criminal justice system; and if she will publish those guidelines.

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to the answer of the 23 January 2018 to Question 123692, on Randox Testing Services, how long FSR-C-133 has been in development; whether FSR-C-133 has been issued to any provider; and whether any provider has been following guidance under FSR-C-133.

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of the 23 January 2018 to Question 123692, whether any guidance produced by (a) her Department and (b) FSR stipulate the requirement for providers to conduct duplicate blood analysis in relation to Section 5A drug driving analysis services.

Mr Nick Hurd: As set out in response to PQs 123692 and 123704, for the entire period of time that Randox Testing Services (RTS) provided s.5A drug driving analysis services to the criminal justice system, it was accredited by United Kingdom Accreditation Service to ISO 17025, the quality standard set by the Forensic Science Regulator (FSR), including specific accreditation for “the detection and quantification of drugs in relation to s.5A of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (as amended) and the Drug Driving (Specified Limits) (England and Wales) Regulations 2014”. FSR–C–133 has been in development for around two years and the FSR has not issued a final version.The latest version of the FSR’s Codes of Practice, published in October 2017, now include the requirement to pay due regard to the United Kingdom and Ireland Association of Forensic Toxicologists (UKIAFT) guidelines, which recommend the use of duplicate extraction.

Forensic Science: Regulation

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2018 to Question 123692, to what FSR guidelines are providers of Section 5A drug driving analysis services accredited.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Forensic Science Regulator’s Codes of Practice require all forensic service providers of s.5A drug driving analysis to be accredited to international standard ISO17025 for toxicology. Since October 2017 it has also been a requirement for providers to be accredited to the Codes themselves.

Airguns: Licensing

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to extend the gun licensing regime to air weapons that have a muzzle energy of more than one joule.

Mr Nick Hurd: We are reviewing the regulation of air weapons in England and Wales. We have asked for the views of interested parties by 6 February 2018 on a range of issues, including manufacturing standards, secure storage and whether current arrangements are sufficient to prevent children gaining access to air weapons. As part of the review, we are looking at the arrangements in Scotland and Northern Ireland where air weapons with a muzzle energy of more than one joule are subject to licensing regimes. We will publish the outcome of the review in due course.

Asylum

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the home countries were of the people who were granted asylum on the basis of being illegally trafficked for each the last five years for which figures are available.

Caroline Nokes: The Home Office does not record the specific parts of the countries from which asylum claimants originate. Therefore, we cannot identify how many asylum claims have been granted or refused leave from specific parts of the countries of origin. Published data relating to the outcomes of asylum claims from each country can be found in tab as_01 at volume 1 of the quarterly Immigration Statistics release:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-april-to-june-2017-data-tables

Offences against Children: West Midlands

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of reports of child sexual exploitation there have been in (a) Coventry and (b) the West Midlands in each of the last three years.

Victoria Atkins: The Home Office began collecting information on Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) offences on a mandatory basis in April 2016. As CSE is not an offence as defined in law, the police will flag an offence if it is related to CSE in their statistical returns to the Home Office.We are presently working with police forces over the quality of these data ahead of future publication.

British Nationality

Rosie Duffield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to support people with a family history that is (a) unclear and (b) unknown to verify their UK citizenship.

Caroline Nokes: UK Visas and Citizenship have two application types which allow those with unclear/unknown family histories to obtain definite evidence of their status.These are:A ‘Status letter’ application, made on Form NS – for those who believe they may have a claim to British nationality but who do not have the normal evidence required to prove this. The Form and Guidance are on the GOV.UK website here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-for-confirmation-of-british-nationality-status-form-nsAn application for a ‘No Time Limit’ card, made on Form NTL – which can be used by those who entered the UK before 1 January 1973 and have no evidence of settled status. The Form and Guidance are here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-transfer-indefinite-leave-to-remain-in-uk-form-ntl

Asylum: Children

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to release reliable, disaggregated data on unaccompanied minors entering and leaving the UK.

Caroline Nokes: The UK is fully committed to transferring the specified number of 480 unaccompanied children under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 as soon as possible. Whilst the Government is clear that we will not be amending the current legislation, after extensive discussion with France, Greece and Italy, we have updated the eligibility date on an exceptional basis to ensure we can transfer the circa. 260 remaining unaccompanied children and meet our obligation under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016. We are working closely with Member States and with relevant partners such as the UNHCR, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and NGOs to ensure the safe transfer of children referred by each Member State to the UK. Over 220 children are already here and transfers are ongoing.Our Family Reunion policy allow children to join their refugee parents, and there are also specific provisions that allow extended family members lawfully resident in the UK to sponsor unaccompanied children where there are serious and compelling circum-stances. This policy is reflected in domestic legislation and will be unaffected by our exit from the EU. We have reunited over 24,000 partners and children with their families under our family reunion policy in the last five years.Until we leave the EU, the UK remains bound by EU asylum legislation, where we have opted in, including the Dublin Regulation. The Dublin III Regulation is the mechanism to determine the Member State responsible for the consideration of an asylum claim. We are considering the options to ensure effective cooperation on the country responsible for processing asylum claims when we leave the EU. This will be a key consideration as part of the process of establishing a new relationship with our European partners. The Home Office publishes data on asylum applications and their outcomes from unaccompanied asylum seeking children who enter the UK. The data are published in volume 3 of the asylum tables in the quarterly Immigration Statistics release. The latest release includes data up to September 2017, is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2017-data-tables. In addition, the Home Office published a one-off data publication on the number of children transferred from France as part of the UK’s comprehensive support for the Calais camp clearance in autumn 2016. The data is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transfers-of-children-to-the-uk-from-the-calais-operation-november-2017The Home Office only returns an unaccompanied child with no lawful basis to remain in the UK if it is satisfied that safe and adequate reception arrangements are in place in the country to which they are to be removed.

Doctors: Migrant Workers

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many fully qualified foreign doctors have been declined Tier 2 visas in each of the last three years.

Caroline Nokes: Information on the number of applications and decisions (i.e. grants, refusals, withdrawn and lapsed cases) of Tier 2 & pre-PBS equivalent entry clearance visas are published quarterly in the Home Office’s Immigration Statistics, Visas volume 1, table vi_01_q, latest edition at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2017

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Insolvency: EU Law

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans the Government has to implement the EU Insolvency, Restructuring and Second Chance Directive.

Andrew Griffiths: The proposed Directive on preventive restructuring frameworks, second chance and insolvency measures is currently still under negotiation in Brussels. Given this stage of the process and the ongoing negotiations on withdrawal from the EU, it is not possible to say whether, if adopted, the provisions would be implemented in the UK.

Renewable Energy: Finance

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Clean Growth Strategy, published on 12 October 2017, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing funding to biomass conversion and increase the resources available for wind and solar energy exploitation.

Claire Perry: Renewable technologies now form a significant part of the UK’s energy mix, and the recent Clean Growth Strategy sets out policies to continue the expansion of the low carbon electricity sector. Coal to biomass conversions are a transitional technology in the decarbonisation of electricity, with all support under the renewables obligation and contracts for difference (CfD) schemes ending in 2027. We are improving the route to market for renewable technologies such as offshore wind by making up to £557m available for further CfD auctions, and working with industry to develop an ambitious Sector Deal for offshore wind which could result in 10 gigawatts of new capacity. No decisions have been made on further CfD auctions for the Pot 1 technologies.

Housing: Energy

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much Government and supplier obligation energy efficiency investment there was in each year between 2012-13 to 2016-17; and how many homes were insulated under Government programmes in each of those years.

Claire Perry: Data are published for the number of measures installed and the total investment in supplier obligations prior to the start of the Energy Company Obligation in 2013 but the data are not readily available to determine the number of homes insulated, nor investment by year, in those years. Investment under ECO (from 2013-14) is shown in the table below [1], [2].  Supplier spend in the year (2017 prices)2013-14£1,690,000,0002014-15£1,000,000,0002015-16£540,000,0002016-17£480,000,000  The number of homes insulated under ECO (from 2013-14) meanwhile is provided below [3]:   Homes insulated in the year 2013-14381,1472014-15463,5932015-16216,4312016-17158,304  [1] Note that suppliers front loaded delivery against their ECO obligations, meaning spending was higher than BEIS estimated for 13-14 and 14-15, but lower in the subsequent years. Had suppliers not front loaded delivery (i.e. delivered at a constant rate over this period), supplier spend would have been around £1.4bn during 13-14 and around £860m pa between 14-15 and 16-17[2] Source https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/household-energy-efficiency-national-statistics-headline-release-september-2017 (note the figures have been adjusted for inflation)[3] Source: as above. These figures differ from published data in table 1.2.1a since the question asks for the number of homes insulated in a year whereas table 1.2.1a will only count a home once regardless of the number of times it received an insulation measure post May 2015.

Housing: Energy

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Clean Growth Strategy, published in October 2017, what estimate his Department has made of the amount of investment required each year to meet the target for as many homes as possible to be brought up to EPC Band C by 2035.

Claire Perry: The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has not made an official estimate of the amount of investment required each year to meet the target for as many homes as possible to be brought up to EPC Band C by 2035. The amount of investment will depend on the measures installed to achieve this energy efficiency level, which will also depend on the policies to encourage their uptake, and the impact of innovation investment on driving down cost and bringing forward new technologies. The Department is currently undertaking this analysis and will publish these estimates in due course. The forthcoming call for evidence on EPCs will be a valuable addition to the evidence of how we can reach this target.

Biofuels

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made an assessment of the number of virgin forests that have been affected by biomass production in the past three years; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry: The Department has not made a specific assessment of the number of virgin forests that have been affected by biomass production in the past three years. However to receive government support for heat and power generation from biomass in the UK, all biomass must comply with the UK’s sustainability criteria, which includes demonstrating that wood is supplied from legal and sustainable sources.

Fracking: Ryedale

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will make it his policy to recommend to the Oil and Gas Authority that final consent is not given for fracking in Ryedale while (a) Third Energy has not published its 2016 accounts due on 30 September 2017 and (b) the Chairman of Third Energy Onshore Ltd, Keith Cochrane, is under investigation for his Chief Executive Officer role in the failed construction firm Carillion; and if he will make a statement.

Claire Perry: As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement of 25 January 2018 [HCWS428] the Government considers that the financial resilience of a company wishing to hydraulically fracture is a relevant consideration. As a matter of policy, we will therefore look at issues relevant to the financial resilience of all companies wishing to carry out hydraulic fracturing operations alongside their application for Hydraulic Fracturing Consent. The Department is still considering Third Energy’s proposals to carry out hydraulically fracturing pursuant to the Direction issued to the Oil and Gas Authority on 29 November 2017 and will respond appropriately in due course.

Manufacturing Industries

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans he has to support manufacturing in each of the countries and regions of the UK through the Industrial Strategy.

Richard Harrington: Through our Industrial Strategy, we continue to take actions to boost manufacturing growth, across all parts of the UK. We are investing in innovation, in support for key economic clusters and in physical and digital infrastructure throughout the United Kingdom, including projects in partnership and in collaboration with Devolved Nations. We will ensure that every action we take impacts all four nations whilst respecting the devolution settlement and responsibilities and priorities of Devolved Administrations. We will increase the National Productivity Investment Fund from £8 billion to £31billion and extend it to 2022-23. We are launching an action plan to unlock over £20 billion of patient capital investment to finance growth in innovative firms over 10 years, including a new £2.5bn Investment Fund for SMEs in the British Business Bank. We are increasing R&D tax credits for large businesses from 11% to 12% from January 2018, as part of the drive to increase R&D investment to 2.4% by 2027. A further £725m will be invested in the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund across the UK to respond to some of the greatest global challenges and opportunities and support sector productivity. This is in addition to the £246 million that will be invested for the Faraday Battery Challenge to ensure the UK leads the world in the design, development and manufacture of batteries for the electrification of vehicles and £197 million for the manufacture of medicines that will speed up patient access to new drugs and treatments. We will continue to support the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, in which we have invested £300 million over the past 5 years, to support commercialisation of the innovation of new technologies that will be crucial to UK manufacturing success. We are working with industry to develop strong Manufacturing Sector Deals to boost productivity and competitiveness, including through Automotive and Made Smarter. We will also agree local industrial strategies that build on local strengths and deliver on economic opportunities. As part of these local industrial strategies, we are launching a new competitive £115m Strength in Places Fund to support areas to build on their science and innovation strengths and develop stronger local networks and collaboration between universities, research organisations, LEPs and relevant agencies.

Aerospace Industry

Ian Paisley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he is taking to support aerospace supply chains.

Richard Harrington: The Government works closely with the UK aerospace sector, through the Industrial Strategy and Aerospace Growth Partnership, to support the competitive position of UK companies. Through this partnership, Government has co-funded, with industry, a £4bn research and development programme from 2013 to 2026; a £250m productivity programme, Sharing in Growth (SiG); and a £40m technology collaboration programme aimed at smaller supply chain businesses, the National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP). Government has also co-funded, with industry, the creation of an additional 500 Masters level postgraduate places for the UK aerospace sector. Many of these students are now working in the UK aerospace sector. These programmes have helped hundreds of UK aerospace companies develop technologies and continue to be competitive in this global industry.

Renewable Energy: Finance

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the UK's contribution to the global growth in investment in renewable energy.

Claire Perry: Our support for clean energy has produced world leading results. Continuing investment has ensured that we have the largest installed offshore wind capacity in the world. The UK’s leadership in financing clean growth is already emerging, with more than 60 green bonds listed on the London Stock Exchange, raising over $20 billion across seven currencies. Globally the UK is among the largest contributors of climate finance, committing to provide at least £5.8 billion from 2016 to 2020, to help developing countries mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change and support cleaner economic growth. Data recently released by the Office for National Statistics shows continued strong growth for our low carbon businesses - turnover was up 5% in 2016, employee numbers grew more than 3% and exports are up 1.4%. It is yet more proof of the importance of our clean tech sector to the British and global economy.

Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the geographical spread of recently announced spending commitments drawn from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

Mr Sam Gyimah: We announced an additional investment of £725m in the second wave of challenges in the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund at the Autumn Budget 2017. The technologies and future industries that these challenges support will need to combine the strengths of businesses and researchers across the UK. Wherever they are, they will be able to compete for ISCF funding.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Voting Rights

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department plans to mark the centenary of women getting the right to vote in 1918.

Richard Harrington: Holding answer received on 31 January 2018



The Department will support and publicise a number of events being held across government to mark the centenary of women getting the right to vote in 1918. In addition, the Suffragette Flag will be raised on Tuesday, 6 February at 1 Victoria Street to mark the occasion and show support for this important anniversary.The Department, in collaboration with Parliament, will also host this year’s cross-Whitehall International Women’s Day celebrations on the 8th March. We will celebrate the impact of women in public service over the last 100 years; consider how women in public service can take action to increase their impact today; and challenge attendees to dream big and increase impact over the next decade.

Energy: Prices

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2018 to Question 122980, on Energy: prices, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of creating a right for energy companies to appeal decisions of Ofgem on the setting of the energy price cap to the Competition and Markets Authority.

Claire Perry: In setting the cap the Bill requires Ofgem, among other things, to have regard to the need to set the cap at a level that enables effective competition for domestic supply contracts, the need to maintain incentives for domestic customers to switch and the need to ensure that energy suppliers who operate efficiently are able to finance their activities. There is a requirement for Ofgem to consult on the methodology for the cap and on the licence modification that will introduce the price cap.Energy companies would be able to challenge Ofgem’s decisions by way of judicial review. The availability of judicial review to scrutinise whether Ofgem has properly implemented the will of Parliament, and had proper regard to the matters Parliament had required Ofgem to consider when setting the cap, is an appropriate appeal route. The Government does not believe it is necessary to produce an assessment of the potential merits of an alternative route of appeal.

Energy: Meters

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many SMETS2 meters have been installed as part of the smart meter roll-out programme to date.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many SMETS2 meters have been successfully connected to the DCC system.

Claire Perry: The rollout of smart meters is making good progress, with nearly 400,000 meters installed every month and a total of 8.6 million meters already operating as of 30 September 2017. Industry information shows there are now around 450 SMETS2 meters connected to the DCC system. Most of these are being operated in test conditions and around 80 have been installed in the live environment. Energy suppliers are continuing to test their systems ahead of a controlled ramp up on SMETS2 meters in the coming months.

Industry

Peter Kyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which sector deals are currently in development; and when he expects those deals to be published.

Richard Harrington: The Industrial Strategy White Paper announced Sector Deals covering Artificial Intelligence, Construction, Life Sciences and Automotive, and we are in advanced discussions with the Creative Industries, Nuclear, and Industrial Digitalisation sectors. We will prioritise further negotiations with sectors that submit proposals that best meet the expectations we set out in the White Paper in the coming weeks.

Gratuities

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the prevalence of employer-mandated policies on the retention of tips in the hospitality sector.

Andrew Griffiths: The Government collected evidence on the treatment of tips and other discretionary payments in a call for evidence. The Government’s response to the evidence collected in that exercise was included in a consultation document published which sought further evidence on the same issue.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Bangladesh: Human Rights

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the level of freedom available for civil society groups operating in Bangladesh.

Mark Field: ​Civil society groups in Bangladesh face increasing difficulties in doing their work. For example, the Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Regulation Act 2016 provided the Banglasesh Government with increased powers to restrict the activities of civil society groups, and required NGOs to register with the NGO Affairs Bureau in order to receive foreign funds. As we have heard from NGOs seeking to form part of the Rohingya crisis response, these permissions can be difficult to obtain.The UK routinely raises our concerns regarding restrictions on civil society with the Government of Bangladesh most recently during the drafting of the Foreign Donations Act. I have also made clear to the Government of Bangladesh the need to more quickly grant permissions for NGOs seeking to form part of the Rohingya crisis response.

Bangladesh: Violence

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) level, (b) sources, and (c) effect of political violence in Bangladesh.

Mark Field: In recent years there has been an increase in extremist-linked violence in Bangladesh, notably the attack on Holey Bakery in July 2016 in which 22 civilians were killed. Other extremist attacks against minority religions, and secular targets, have been a frequent occurrence. In the period leading up the last general election in 2014, and around its anniversary in 2015, violence linked to a number of political parties led to deaths. The Government of Bangladesh has also been accused of political violence. Human rights organisations allege abuses by law enforcement agencies including extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances. They allege that these have primarily been aimed at suspected terrorists but, in the case of disappearances, have increasingly targeted political opposition figures.I have been clear with the Bangladeshi government that human rights abuses by law enforcement agencies are deeply concerning, and these only serve to increase the risk of radicalization. I raised our human rights concerns with Foreign Secretary Haque and High Commissioner Quaunine in November 2017. I have also been clear with my counterparts that upcoming elections in Bangladesh must be free, fair and pluralistic.

Nigeria: Violence

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in the  Nigerian Government on recent violent clashes among tribes, herdsmen and farmers.

Harriett Baldwin: We are concerned by recurrent clashes involving pastoralists and local farmers. We have raised our concerns at State and Federal government levels and urge the Nigerian Government to work with the affected populations to develop a peaceful solution that meets the needs of all the communities affected.

Nigeria: Human Rights

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the (a) human rights and (b) security situation in Nigeria.

Harriett Baldwin: We welcome President Buhari's commitment to improve the human rights situation in Nigeria, but more needs to be done. We remain concerned by reports of human rights violations by the Nigerian security forces. We continue to make clear to the Nigerian authorities the importance of transparent investigations of human rights violations, accountability at all levels, and the protection of civilians in conflict areas and detention.Boko Haram remains a threat to security in Nigeria and the region. We continue to support Nigeria and its neighbours in the fight against Boko Haram through a package of military, development and intelligence support. We are also concerned by clashes involving pastoralists and local farmers across several states. We are engaging with Federal and State Governments to express our concerns and to urge the government to work with the affected populations to develop a solution that meets the needs of all the communities affected.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Presidents Club

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether any Ministers in his Department attended the Presidents Club Charity Dinner run by the Meller Educational Trust in an official capacity.

Sir Alan Duncan: ​No.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Public Expenditure

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his Department has spent on (a) art, (b) wine and (c) hospitality in each of the last seven financial years for which figures are available.

Sir Alan Duncan: a) The information regarding the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) expenditure on art is publicly available as part of the FCO's annual report on the gov.uk website. The FCO accounts for art as expenditure under Antiques and Works of Art representations of the FCO.b) No central record is held of global expenditure on wines and spirits in the UK and overseas FCO. The Government Wine Cellar is managed by the FCO's Protocol Department and has been self-financing since 2011: costs are covered by sales of older, higher value stock. An annual report on the Government Wine Cellar is presented to Parliament each year under cover of a Written Ministerial Statement and is available on the gov.uk website.c) The FCO accounts for its hospitality expenditure under Representation of the FCO and Business Hospitality. The total cost is2010-11£7,840,2452011-12£8,206,0342012-13£9,096,0572013-14£9,010,8202014-15£8,177,5522015-16£7,984,4242016-17£9,386,848

Syria: Armed Conflict

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Turkish counterpart on Turkish military operations around Afrin in northern Syria and the loss of civilian lives.

Sir Alan Duncan: ​The Foreign Secretary has been in regular contact with Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu about the situation in Afrin. We have urged Turkey to avoid any escalation in violence and stressed the need to protect civilians and avoid casualties. We have also stressed the importance of ensuring that humanitarian assistance can reach the area. Turkey has legitimate security concerns, and we recognise its interest in the protection of its borders. It remains in our shared interest to focus on achieving a political settlement that ends the war and suffering, and provides stability for all Syrians and the wider region.

Syria: Armed Conflict

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the legality of Turkey's operations in the Afrin district of Northern Syria.

Sir Alan Duncan: ​The situation in Afrin was discussed in the UN Security Council on Monday 22 January. We are closely following further developments and Ministers are in regular contact with their Turkish counterparts. In all our diplomatic engagement we have urged Turkey to avoid any escalation in violence and to seek to protect civilians, while recognising its legitimate interest in the security of its borders. It remains in our shared interest to focus on achieving a political settlement that ends the war in Syria, and provides stability for all Syrians and the wider region.

Syria: Armed Conflict

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his counterpart in Turkey on the need for a negotiated peaceful and democratic solution to the Kurdish question in Syria and in Turkey.

Sir Alan Duncan: We encourage Turkish and Kurdish political leaders to resolve disputes through negotiation. The Foreign Secretary and our Ambassador to Turkey have emphasised to the Turkish government the importance of returning to the peace process and the need to respect human rights for all citizens. We are clear that PKK violence must end, and stand ready to help in any way we can. In Syria, we continue to work for a sustainable national political settlement which protects the rights of all Syrians, including Kurds.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Directors

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who the lead non-executive director and other non-executive director board members are in his Department.

Sir Alan Duncan: Details of Foreign and Commonwealth Office non-executives are published on gov.uk.

Antarctic: Marine Environment

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will respond to Early Day Motion 804, on Antarctic Ocean Sanctuary.

Sir Alan Duncan: ​The UK is an active participant in both the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and the Committee for Environmental Protection, both integral parts of the Antarctic Treaty System. The UK led the proposal to establish a Marine Protected Area around the South Orkney Islands Southern Shelf which was agreed in 2009; and strongly supported the designation of the Ross Sea Region Marine Protected Area in 2016. The UK is a co-proponent of the proposal to establish a Marine Protected Area in the Weddell Sea and will be advocating strongly for its adoption at the 37th CCAMLR meeting in October 2018.

Hong Kong: Freedom of Religion

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to encourage the Chinese authorities to respect freedom of religion and all religious faiths in Hong Kong.

Mark Field: ​Freedom of religion is guaranteed under both the Sino-British Joint Declaration and Hong Kong's Basic Law. We welcome the Chief Executive's emphasis on upholding the core values and structures that underpin 'One Country, Two Systems'. It is essential that Hong Kong continues to enjoy, and is seen to enjoy, the high degree of autonomy of rule of law, and the rights and freedoms, enshrined in the Basic Law and guaranteed in International Law by the Joint Declaration. Our officials in Hong Kong and London will continue to monitor this issue closely.

Nigeria: Human Rights

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has made to the Government of Nigeria on the Zaria massacre and other human rights abuses; and whether the Government intends to make further representations to that Government on the protection of human rights and the right to peaceful protest.

Harriett Baldwin: We have raised our concerns about the incident at Zaria with the Nigerian authorities at the highest levels. The previous Minister for Africa raised the issue with the Governor of Kaduna during his visit to Nigeria in July 2017. We continue to call on the Federal government to respond to the recommendations made by the Commission for Judicial Inquiry, and ensure accountability on all sides.We welcome President Buhari's commitment to improve the human rights situation in Nigeria, but more needs to be done. We will continue to make clear to the Nigerian authorities at the highest levels the importance of upholding human rights standards for all, including the right to peaceful protest.

Zimbabwe: Foreign Relations

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he had with Cabinet colleagues on (a) political, (b) security and (c) economic relations with Zimbabwe following the house arrest of Robert Mugabe.

Harriett Baldwin: Zimbabwe was discussed at Cabinet on 28 November.Whilst we welcome the early indications emerging from President Mnangagwa on his intentions to implement a range of economic and political reforms, we will judge our support in relation to practical action on the ground.

Zimbabwe: Diamonds

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Zimbabwean counterpart about human rights abuses in the Zimbabwean diamond industry.

Harriett Baldwin: Former Minister for Africa, Rory Stewart, met with President Mnangagwa on 24 November and discussed, amongst other things, the importance of respect for human rights. Along with the international community, we will continue to monitor the action of the new administration.

Zimbabwe: Diamonds

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions has he had with his Zimbabwean counterpart on the protection of human rights for workers in the Zimbabwean diamond industry.

Harriett Baldwin: Former Minister for Africa, Rory Stewart met with President Mnangagwa on 24 November and discussed, amongst other things, the importance of respect for human rights. Along with the international community, we will continue to monitor the action of the new administration.

Zimbabwe: Crimes of Violence

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Zimbabwean counterpart on the provision of justice for the victims of the Matabeleland Massacres in 1982-1987.

Harriett Baldwin: The UK condemns the brutal suppression in Matabeleland in the 1980s and supports the process of truth and reconciliation envisaged under the Zimbabwean constitution. This would allow the historical record to be established and victims of political and ethnic violence and their relatives to feel some justice has been served.Accordingly, we welcome President Mnangagwa’s recent signing of the National Peace and Reconciliation Bill and his appointment of a Vice President with responsibility for reconciliation. Officials regularly raise this issue with the Government of Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe: Crimes of Violence

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, What representations has he made to his Zimbabwean counterpart on the involvement of Emmerson Mnangagwa in the Matabeleland massacres between 1982 and 1987.

Harriett Baldwin: The UK condemns the brutal suppression in Matabeleland in the 1980s and supports the process of truth and reconciliation envisaged under the Zimbabwean constitution. This would allow the historical record to be established and victims of political and ethnic violence and their relatives to feel some justice has been served.Accordingly, we welcome President Mnangagwa’s recent signing of the National Peace and Reconciliation Bill and his appointment of a Vice President with responsibility for reconciliation. Officials regularly raise this issue with the Government of Zimbabwe.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Charitable Donations

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what criteria are used to determine the appropriateness of charitable donations by his Department and its Ministers.

Sir Alan Duncan: Like the rest of government, my department follows Her Majesty's Treasury’s guidance on managing public money. Officials and Ministers are bound by the Civil Service Code and Ministerial Code.

Ukraine: Human Rights

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) human rights and (b) security situation in Ukraine.

Sir Alan Duncan: Russian aggression and its attempts to destabilise Ukraine are responsible for the most serious human rights and security issues in Ukraine. Both will improve once Russia abides by international law and withdraws its forces from all of Ukraine, including Crimea.In the Donbas over 10,300 have been killed and 25,000 injured since the start of the conflict Russia instigated in 2014, and continues to fuel. It is vital that all sides in the conflict abide by their Minsk Agreement commitments, beginning with the implementation of a sustained ceasefire and the withdrawal of heavy weapons. In Crimea, the UK is particularly concerned about ongoing human rights abuses experienced by ethnic and religious minorities, especially the Crimean Tatars. Expressions of even mild discontent in Crimea or voicing opposition to the illegal annexation of the peninsula can result in being charged with extremism and given lengthy prison sentences.

Syria: Kurds

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the role of the YPG in a future peaceful settlement to the conflict in Syria.

Alistair Burt: All Kurdish groups must play a role in a political settlement and the future of Syria. The exact nature of Syria's future constitutional arrangements will be for all Syrians to decide through the political process. It is a key principle in the 2012 Geneva communique and UN Security Council Resolutuion 2254 that all Syrian constituencies must ultimately be represented in discussion on Syria's future.

Brazil: Elections

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Brazilian counterpart on steps to ensure a democratic and fair presidential election process in October 2018.

Sir Alan Duncan: We have every confidence that the elections in Brazil will be democratic and fair, and that they will follow the legal requirements of the Brazilian constitution. Our embassy will follow the electoral process closely throughout the year.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Department for Exiting the European Union: Chief Scientific Advisers

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many meetings he held with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between October and December 2017.

Mr Robin Walker: Between October and December 2017 the Secretary of State met Chris Jones, Chief Scientific Adviser at DExEU, five times. It should be noted that this is a dual role combined with the Director of Justice, Security and Migration position and conversations would have covered both briefs.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Public Expenditure

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how much his Department has spent on (a) art, (b) wine and (c) hospitality since it was established.

Mr Robin Walker: The Department for Exiting the European Union has procured the following according to the information held by the Department’s finance system:£580 was spent on the removal and installation of artwork in Departmental offices.There are no identifiable transactions specifically relating to the purchase of wine.The Department has spent £10,971 on hospitality since the creation of the Department.

Anguilla

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether Anguilla will be covered by the implementation period as part of the UK leaving the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: As the Prime Minister has set out, we are seeking a strictly time-limited implementation period as part of our withdrawal negotiations, to provide certainty and stability for both people and businesses - in the UK and in the EU - to adjust to the new arrangements in a smooth and orderly way. It is the UK’s consistent position that our negotiations extend to include UK Overseas Territories, including Anguilla, in those areas where their association with the EU is affected.

Service Industries: Non-tariff Barriers

Antoinette Sandbach: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to the speech made by the Secretary of State for International Trade to the American Enterprise Institute of 24 July 2017, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of the increase in non-tariff barriers to trade between 2010 and 2015 on the UK services industry after the UK leaves the EU.

Antoinette Sandbach: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to the speech made by the Secretary of State for International Trade to the American Enterprise Institute of 24 July 2017, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of the increase in non-tariff barriers to trade between 2010 and 2015 on the UK dairy industry after the UK leaves the EU.

Antoinette Sandbach: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to the speech made by the Secretary of State for International Trade to the American Enterprise Institute of 24 July 2017, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of the increase in non-tariff barriers to trade between 2010 and 2015 on the UK car manufacturing industry after the UK leaves the EU.

Antoinette Sandbach: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to the speech made by the Secretary of State for International Trade to the American Enterprise Institute of 24 July 2017, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of the increase in non-tariff barriers to trade between 2010 and 2015 on the UK aerospace industry after the UK leaves the EU.

Antoinette Sandbach: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to the speech made by the Secretary of State for International Trade to the American Enterprise Institute of 24 July 2017, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of the increase in non-tariff barriers to trade between 2010 and 2015 on the UK chemicals industry after the UK leaves the EU.

Antoinette Sandbach: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to the speech made by the Secretary of State for International Trade to the American Enterprise Institute of 24 July 2017, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of the increase in non-tariff barriers to trade between 2010 and 2015 on the UK pharmaceutical industry after the UK leaves the EU.

Antoinette Sandbach: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to the speech made by the Secretary of State for International Trade to the American Enterprise Institute of 24 July 2017, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of the increase in non-tariff barriers to trade between 2010 and 2015 on the UK data processing industry after the UK leaves the EU.

Antoinette Sandbach: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to the speech made by the Secretary of State for International Trade to the American Enterprise Institute of 24th July 2017, what assessment he has made of the effect of the increase in non-tariff barriers to trade between 2010 and 2015 on the UK’s future trade relationship with the EU in the event of the UK's reversion to WTO terms after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: As we move into the second phase of negotiations we are confident of agreeing a bold and ambitious economic partnership with the EU that is of greater scope than any such existing agreement. The Government is carrying out an ongoing programme of comprehensive analytical work to define our deep and special partnership with the EU and inform our understanding of how EU exit will affect the UK’s domestic policies and frameworks. We will continue to engage with businesses and industry bodies from all sectors of the economy, and all regions of the UK, in order to inform our negotiations with the EU. Whilst we will not release information that could be prejudicial to our negotiating position, nor provide a running commentary on the Government’s analysis, Ministers have undertaken to provide analysis of the proposed terms of the agreement ahead of a meaningful vote.

Brexit

Jo Platt: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2018 to Question 124540, whether any journalist has had access, in error or inadvertently, to Market Access reports pertaining to the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to written parliamentary question 124540.

Brexit

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether citizens’ rights will continue to be a distinct strand of the UK's negotiations with the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: Securing the rights of EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU was the first priority for the negotiations on the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union. The joint report on progress, published in December, details the high level agreements reached which will ensure that these rights are protected. We remain committed to honouring these agreements. We are now moving into the second phase of negotiations. We know there are some issues on citizens’ rights that we had pushed hard to resolve in the first phase of negotiations, but were unable to as they were not within the EU’s negotiating mandate. These are important issues for UK nationals, so we will continue to raise these issues as the negotiations progress.

Free Movement of People

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether it is the Government's policy to seek to preserve the existing rights of UK citizens living in an EU 27 country to (a) freedom of movement across the EU including the rights to work, run a business and provide services and (b) the recognition of their professional and academic qualifications after the UK has left the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: The citizens’ rights agreement reached in December is a fair and reciprocal deal that will guarantee the rights of a million UK nationals living in the EU and more than three million EU citizens living in the UK - so they can carry on living their lives as before. We pushed hard for onward movement for UK nationals living in the EU27 during negotiations, but the EU did not agree that this was a matter for the first phase of the negotiations. We know this is an important matter for UK citizens, so we will continue to raise this issue as negotiations progress. For those covered under the Withdrawal Agreement, we have agreed the continued recognition of qualifications where recognition decisions were received, or where recognition procedures were ongoing, before the withdrawal date. This will cover qualifications recognised under the Mutual Recognition Professional Qualifications directive, lawyers practising under host title and approved statutory auditors.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether it is the Government's policy to offer EU citizens with settled status in the UK a life-long right of return to the UK.

Mr Robin Walker: The citizens’ rights agreement reached in December, and set out in our Joint Report, will provide EU citizens living in the UK with certainty about their rights going forward.It will enable families who have built their lives together to stay together, and not only gives more certainty about residence, but also healthcare, pensions and other benefits.Under the agreement, EU citizens who acquire settled status will lose their right to residence after absence for a period exceeding five consecutive years. This goes beyond the two year absence period that currently applies under EU law for those holding Permanent Residence.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether it is the Government's policy to seek to ensure that EU nationals who come to the UK during an implementation period fall within the scope of the provisions on citizens' rights in the final withdrawal agreement between the UK and the EU.

Mr Robin Walker: The citizens’ rights agreement reached in December, and set out in our Joint Report, will provide EU citizens living in the UK before we leave the EU on 29 March 2019 with certainty about their rights going forward. This agreement does not cover those arriving after we exit the EU. During the implementation period, EU citizens will be able to continue to visit, live and work in the UK as they do now, but we will introduce a registration scheme in preparation for our future immigration system. This is an important step towards regaining full control of our borders.

EU Institutions

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent discussions he has had with EU negotiators on the involvement of the UK in EU institutions and organisations during the implementation phase.

Mr Robin Walker: At the General Affairs Council on Monday, the European Council agreed negotiating directives on the implementation period. Now that the Commission has a clear negotiating mandate, we hope to move quickly to begin detailed discussions on the implementation period.The exact nature of our involvement in the EU institutions, agencies and bodies during the implementation period remains a matter for discussion.However, during the implementation period, we are agreed that EU rules and regulations will continue to apply. To ensure that these rules and regulations operate effectively, it makes sense that the UK continues to be involved in relevant bodies.

Attorney General

Attorney General: Procurement

Jon Trickett: To ask the Attorney General, how many contracts his Department holds with government strategic suppliers.

Robert Buckland: The Government Legal Department (GLD) and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) hold six contracts each with Government strategic suppliers.The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) holds three contracts with Government strategic suppliers.HMCPSI holds two contracts with Government strategic suppliers; and the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) holds one contract.

Crown Prosecution Service: Public Appointments

Sir Desmond Swayne: To ask the Attorney General, whether experience is a criterion for appointment to the role of Director of Public Prosecutions; and if he will make a statement.

Robert Buckland: The role of the Director of Public Prosecutions is appointed by the Attorney General. When making the appointment a range of qualifications may be deemed suitable. A minimum of 10 years call or post qualified experience as either a barrister or solicitor is a statutory minimum requirement and the post holder is likely to have had significant criminal litigation practice.

Fireworks: Prosecutions

Ian Austin: To ask the Attorney General, how many people have been prosecuted for setting off fireworks after curfew hours in each of the last two years.

Robert Buckland: Regulation 7 of the Fireworks Regulations 2004 prohibits the use of certain fireworks at night other than on a permitted fireworks night or by a person employed by a local authority putting on a fireworks display, national public celebration or a national commemorative event. The Regulation defines ‘night hours’ as 11pm – 7am. All such offences are initially prosecuted by the police under the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 (Specified Proceedings) Order 1999. The CPS only prosecutes cases where the offence is contested or where the proceedings include more serious non-specified offences. Records held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) identify the number of contested offences in which a prosecution commenced and reached a first hearing in magistrates’ courts, rather than the number of successful prosecutions. During the last two years the number of these offences, prosecuted by the CPS, was as follows:-2015-20162016-2017Fireworks Regulations 2004 and section 11(1) and (4) of the Fireworks Act 2003 { 7 }12Data Source: CPS Case Management Information System There is no indication of the number of individual defendants prosecuted for these offences or the final outcome of the prosecution proceeding or if the charged offence was the substantive charge at the time of finalization.

Department for International Development

Department for International Development: Chief Scientific Advisers

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many meetings (a) she and (b) her predecessor had with her Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between October and December 2017.

Harriett Baldwin: The Chief Scientific Adviser has met with the Secretary of State on 4 occasions within the time frame.I hold the portfolio responsibility for DFID's Science and Research department. I have met the DFID Chief Scientific Adviser once since my appointment in January. In addition, DFID’s Chief Scientific Adviser has also had a meeting with DFID Lord Bates during this period.The Chief Scientific Adviser met with my predecessor, Rory Stewart, on 3 occasions during the period of October – December 2017. The Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser also attended the Research Roundtable session with Minister Stewart.The Chief Scientific Adviser continues to provide all Ministers with regular written submissions and briefings on DFID science and research activities.

Middle East: Overseas Aid

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much funding her Department has provided to (a) Jordan, (b) Iraq, (c) Israel, (d) The Palestinian Territories, (e) Turkey, (f) Saudi Arabia and (g) Yemen since 2016.

Alistair Burt: Bilateral official development assistance (ODA) provided by the Department for International Development in 2016 are published in Statistics on International Development 2017:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/statistics-on-international-development-2017This shows calendar spend from 1 January to 31 December 2016. The figures include ODA provided by other government departments and cross government funds. The figures for 2017 will be published in autumn 2018.Israel and Saudi Arabia are not eligible for ODA funding and the UK does not, therefore, contribute to bilateral ODA programmes in either country.

Burma: Thailand

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January to Question 123667, what discussions she has had from the Burmese Government on the safety and security of (a) refugees and (b) internally displaced people returning from camps on either side of the Thai-Burma border.

Alistair Burt: Officials from the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Burma regularly raise issues of safety and security of displaced people and access for humanitarian assistance to the Burmese government at local and national levels. These discussions are generally not specific to those returning from the Thai-Burma border, where returns have been few.

Burma: Internally Displaced People and Refugees

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January to Question 123667, what recent estimate she has made of the (a) number of Burmese refugees in camps in Thailand and (b) number of internally displaced people in camps in Eastern Burma.

Alistair Burt: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees stated that the total verified refugee population in the camps in Thailand in December 2017 was 99,956. The Myanmar Humanitarian Response Plan for 2018 recognises 5,616 displaced persons in Kayin State, 15,006 in Shan State, and 91,739 in Kachin State, in Eastern Burma. It notes that “accurate IDP numbers are difficult to ascertain” in the South East, beyond the 5,616 recently displaced in Kayin.

Burma: Thailand

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January to Question 123667 on Burma: Thailand, when her Department last reviewed the level of funding it has allocated to support for internally-displaced people and refugees on the Thai-Burma border; and what the timescale was for that funding.

Alistair Burt: The Department for International Development (DFID) reviewed the level of funding for refugees on the Thai-Burma border in 2017. Between 2012-16 DFID provided £1.35 million per year to International Rescue Committee (IRC) and The Border Consortium (TBC) for the refugee camps. Following review, our funding for 2017 was £1.1 million. The reduction in funding was proportionally smaller than the decrease in the number of refugees in the camps since 2012. DFID’s support to displaced and conflict-affected communities in South East Burma is now largely through our contribution to livelihoods and health multi-donor trust funds rather than through our humanitarian programme. We continue to keep needs under review.

Bangladesh: Migrant Camps

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December 2017 to Question on Bangladesh: Rohingya, what recent discussions she has had with her Bangladeshi counterparts on the proximity of (a) borehole drilling and (b) toilets to water sources in refugee camps.

Alistair Burt: My Department is aware some agencies and NGOs have not previously followed international standards in terms of borehole drilling depths and location of latrines in relation to water sources. My officials followed up in November and December with the appropriate coordination groups, such as the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Sector Group and Senior Coordinator’s Office, to reinforce the need for all agencies and NGOs to adhere to minimum standards in this area to protect people’s health.

Bangladesh and Burma: International Assistance

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the levels of humanitarian access available to organisations operating in Bangladesh and Burma.

Alistair Burt: We are one of the largest bilateral donors to the Rohingya refugee crisis in Bangladesh, with a total contribution of £59 million, and we have been working with the Government of Bangladesh to facilitate the important work of NGOs. In Burma we continue to press for better humanitarian access. We are working through the Red Cross and the World Food Programme to provide some emergency assistance but we would like to do more. Many urgent needs are not being met because of government restrictions on access.

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when her Department will make its next assessment of the Palestinian Authority's compliance with the Partnership Principles set out in the Memorandum of Understanding between the UK and the Palestinian Authority.

Alistair Burt: HMG officials will complete a review of the Palestinian Authority's (PA) commitment to the Partnership Principles before the next annual Memorandum of Understanding dialogue with the PA. The date of the next dialogue has not yet been confirmed, but is likely to be completed in the first half of 2018.

Yemen: Ports

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of levels of humanitarian assistance entering Yemen through Hodeidah port since the announcement on 20 December 2017 by the Saudi-led Coalition that the port would remain open.

Alistair Burt: Close to 80% of both commercial and humanitarian imports have habitually entered Yemen through Hodeidah and Saleef ports. During her visit to Riyadh, the Prime Minister emphasised the importance of full and unhindered commercial and humanitarian access to these ports.Currently we judge that imports to Hodeidah and Saleef are insufficient, with just 70% of monthly food and 76% of monthly fuel levels entering through these ports compared to the period before November 2017. We recognise the Saudi-led coalition is working to increase access through other ports including Aden in the South of Yemen. This is one reason why the recent increase in hostilities in Aden is a concern. The UK is working with the UN to increase the number of inspections of commercial vessels to encourage greater access into Hodeidah and Saleef. We continue to call on all parties to allow full and unfettered commercial and humanitarian access throughout Yemen to avert the risk of mass starvation.

Department for Education

Arts: GCSE

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effect of socio-economic background on the uptake of arts subjects at GCSE level.

Nick Gibb: Holding answer received on 29 January 2018



The number of entries into arts subjects, by disadvantaged and all other pupils, at the end of key stage 4 is provided in the attached document.



124676 Table
(Excel SpreadSheet, 65.89 KB)

Schools: Inspections

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will ensure that during routine inspections Ofsted do not single out young Muslim female pupils wearing hijabs for (a) questioning and (b) the subject of any special inspections.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Special Educational Needs: Teachers

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of specialist teachers for deaf children in the last period for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of that number will be in (a) 2023 and (b) 2028.

Nick Gibb: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Special Educational Needs: Hearing Impairment

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether a difference in grades exists between deaf and hearing children in (a) England, (b)Yorkshire and (c) Wakefield district.

Nick Gibb: The Department publishes pupil attainment in a number of headline and additional measures for England, including for pupils with hearing impairment. These figures can be compared to the national average for all pupils. At a regional and local authority level, the Department publishes these figures for pupils with and without Special Educational Needs (SEN); figures for pupils with hearing impairments are included within these but they are not published separately due to the level of suppression that would be required. For pupils at the end of key stage 2 study, the figures for 2016/17 are in the department’s ‘National curriculum assessments: key stage 2, 2017 (revised)’ statistical first release[1]. For pupils at the end of key stage 4 study, the figures for 2016/17 are in the Department’s ‘Revised GCSE and equivalent results in England: 2016 to 2017’ statistical first release[2]. For students aged 19, the figures for England are in the department’s ‘Level 2 and 3 attainment by young people aged 19’ statistical first release for 2015/16[3]. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-curriculum-assessments-key-stage-2-2017-revised. Open the ‘National tables’ (either link) and select ‘table_N8a’ for figures for England; subsequent tables provide gender breakdowns. Open the ‘Local authority and regional tables’ (either link) and select ‘table_L9a’ for figures for each region and local authority. Previous years’ data can be accessed in a similar manner from this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-key-stage-2. Select the revised publication for each year.[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/revised-gcse-and-equivalent-results-in-england-2016-to-2017. Open the ‘characteristics national tables’ and select the ‘characteristics summary’ table for figures for England. Open the ‘characteristics local authority tables’ and select table ‘LA12; for figures for each region and local authority. Previous years’ data can be accessed in a similar manner from this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-gcses-key-stage-4. Select the revised publication for each year.[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/level-2-and-3-attainment-by-young-people-aged-19-in-2016. Open the ‘National tables 6 to 15’ link, pertinent figures for England can be found in tables ‘T8’, ‘T9’, ‘T10’ and ‘T11’. Open the ‘Local authority tables 16 to 24’ link and select table ‘T20’ for figures for each region and local authority. Previous years’ data is also available in this publication. In March 2018, 16-18 headline measures will be published broken down by student characteristics.

Universities: Admissions

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department plans to encourage universities in the Russell Group to recognise vocational qualifications as part of their admissions process; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Higher education institutions (HEIs) are independent, autonomous bodies and as such, they are responsible for their own admissions decisions. HEIs are best placed to decide on the information that will help to identify the candidates with the talent and potential to succeed at that institution or on a particular course, including vocational qualifications. In 2017, 3.5% of UK 18-year-old students were accepted into full-time undergraduate higher education with BTEC qualifications only, including to the most selective institutions – a 1.1% points increase since 2012. In developing new T-levels, technical study programmes that will be akin to A-levels, we have been clear that they must support progression to higher education options, including technical degrees. This government is committed to widening participation to higher education for students from disadvantaged and under-represented groups. Following the introduction of the Higher Education and Research Act, from January 2018, the Office for Students (OfS), with a new Director for Fair Access and Participation appointed by the Secretary of State, will take on responsibility for widening participation in higher education. The OfS will have a statutory duty to promote equality of opportunity across the whole lifecycle for disadvantaged students, not just access. As a result, widening access and participation will be at the core of the OfS’ functions. In addition, our reforms will introduce a Transparency Duty requiring higher education providers to publish application, offer, acceptance, dropout and attainment rates of students broken down by ethnicity, gender and socio-economic background. This will highlight those higher education institutions that need to go further and faster to widen participation in higher education.

Children: Day Care

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion of disadvantaged two year olds receive 15 hours free early education in (a) England (b) each region of the UK  and (b) each local authority.

Nadhim Zahawi: The number of two-year-old children benefitting from funded early years education by region and local authority is available within Table 1LA on the department’s website at:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/education-provision-children-under-5-years-of-age-january-2017. The percentage of two-year-old children benefitting from funded early education can be found within Table 5LA.

Apprentices: Greater London

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he plans to take to increase the number of apprenticeship starts in London; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: We are supporting employers in London and across England to help them plan their future apprenticeship programmes including account management of over 1,000 of the largest levy-paying employers. We have recently announced initial awards totalling around £485 million to hundreds of providers across the country to provide apprenticeship training to non-levy paying employers. A new phase of our communications campaign started on 26 January 2018, to encourage employers to offer high quality apprenticeship opportunities and to promote these to potential apprentices. There have been over 1.2 million apprenticeship starts since May 2015 and we aim to achieve three million apprenticeship starts in England by 2020. Apprenticeships are open to individuals and employers across the country, and we are investing in the whole of England by doubling funding for apprenticeships to £2.45 billion by 2019-20 – twice what was spent in 2010-11 – and giving employers more autonomy to design training that meets their needs.

Apprentices and Vocational Guidance

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of devolving (a) careers funding streams and (b) London’s apprenticeship levy funding to the control of the Greater London Authority; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The Department for Education has agreed to only devolve the Adult Education Budget to Mayoral Combined Authorirties and Greater London Area. The careers strategy, published in December 2017, sets out opportunities for local involvement and funding for a range of activities across the country which may include the Greater London Authority: £5 million for an investment fund to help disadvantaged pupils to get the additional support they need to prepare for work, including opportunities for mentoring and guidance;£5 million for “careers hubs” in 20 areas, linking together schools, colleges, universities and other local organisations;£4 million for the development of new training programmes for Careers Leaders and support for at least 500 schools and colleges to train their own Careers Leaders;£2 million to test which careers activities are appropriate and work well in primary schools. In addition, we are re-procuring the National Careers Service area-based contracts that will provide free and impartial careers advice and guidance to adults. We will be awarding a number of contracts across the country and local advice will be tailored to local needs. The Education and Skills Funding Agency has worked with the Greater London Authority and will continue to do so. While we have devolved some aspects of skills locally, such as the adult skills budget we have been clear that we need to keep apprenticeships as a nationally driven and funded programme. This is critical if the system is going to produce the skills employers and the economy needs. Locally, employers will be driving the economy and can provide the local perspective on the skills needed. The levy allows employers to spend their funds on the apprenticeship training that they judge best meets their needs. From April 2018, we will allow eligible levy-paying employers to transfer up to 10% of the annual value of funds entering their digital accounts to other employers. We plan to issue further details on how this will work before April to give employers time to prepare. I recently met with the co-chairs of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for London on this issue, and would encourage local authorities to work with employers to ensure that apprenticeships funding is being used effectively in their area.

Apprentices

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January to Question 123901 on Apprentices: Pay, how many of the apprentices transferred from Carillion Training Services to the Construction Industry Training Board have been placed with alternative employers.

Anne Milton: The government’s priority is to minimise disruption to the apprentices that have been affected by the liquidation of Carillion, and to find them new employers.The Construction Industry Training Board has been identified as the best placed alternative training provider. They are on the register of approved apprenticeship training providers, and deliver good quality provision, with a proven track record of delivering the specific frameworks and standards that current Carillion apprentices are studying.CITB centres are geographically situated between what is anticipated to be a reasonable travel time for the apprentices – and critically, they have the capacity and capability to take on displaced apprentices and study programme learners.A dedicated team of advisers and assessors in the CITB are working with their established network of college partners to support all affected apprentices and study programme learners to complete their programmes. They are also using their existing employer contacts in the sector to find the apprentices alternative employers to complete their apprenticeships with. CITB has got in touch with 40,000 external contacts.The Education and Skills Funding Agency has written to all affected apprentices, and the CITB have contacted over 1100. Over 550 apprentices have already been matched to an employer by CITB.CITB have established a dedicated helpline for apprentices seeking support - carillion.apprenticeshipsupport@citb.co.uk or 0344 994 4010. CITB have also delivered a series of workshops for learners, which provided advice on next steps and 1 to 1 support as required.CITB have written to all MPs outlining their support offer, including contact information which can then be shared with affected individuals within constituencies.

Schools: Inspections

Sarah Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of including knife crime prevention as a factor in school Ofsted inspections.

Nick Gibb: A school’s arrangements for protecting pupils are already a mandatory part of Ofsted inspection. Ofsted’s guidance document, “Inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills”, states that safeguarding action by providers may be needed to protect children from a range of risks including issues that may be specific to a local area or population, for example gang activity and youth violence. The document is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inspecting-safeguarding-in-early-years-education-and-skills-from-september-2015.Inspectors consider how well lead teachers have created a culture of vigilance and how well schools fulfil their statutory and other responsibilities in keeping children safe.Ofsted is aware that there may be dimensions to this problem that it needs to understand better in order for inspectors to be able to inspect safeguarding more effectively and it is planning a new research project in the London region to investigate this in more depth.

Apprentices

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2018 to Question 123518, Carillion: Insolvency, what steps his Department is taking to support the Construction Industry Training Board in identifying alternative employers.

Anne Milton: The government’s priority is to minimise disruption to the apprentices that have been affected by the liquidation of Carillion, and to find them new employers.The Construction Industry Training Board has been identified as the best placed alternative training provider. They are on the register of approved apprenticeship training providers, and deliver good quality provision, with a proven track record of delivering the specific frameworks and standards that current Carillion apprentices are studying.CITB centres are geographically situated between what is anticipated to be a reasonable travel time for the apprentices – and critically, they have the capacity and capability to take on displaced apprentices and study programme learners.A dedicated team of advisers and assessors in the CITB are working with their established network of college partners to support all affected apprentices and study programme learners to complete their programmes. They are also using their existing employer contacts in the sector to find the apprentices alternative employers to complete their apprenticeships with. CITB has got in touch with 40,000 external contacts.The Education and Skills Funding Agency has written to all affected apprentices, and the CITB have contacted over 1100. Over 550 apprentices have already been matched to an employer by CITB.CITB have established a dedicated helpline for apprentices seeking support - carillion.apprenticeshipsupport@citb.co.uk or 0344 994 4010. CITB have also delivered a series of workshops for learners, which provided advice on next steps and 1 to 1 support as required.CITB have written to all MPs outlining their support offer, including contact information which can then be shared with affected individuals within constituencies.

Apprentices

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the reasons for the reduction from 103,000 to 20,000 in the number of people aged 25 and over starting apprenticeships between the final two quarters of 2016-17.

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of people aged 25 and over undertaking training in apprenticeships.

Anne Milton: In the first quarter (August to October 2017) of the 2017/18 academic year, 33,400 people aged 25 and over started an apprenticeship (see attached). We have made significant changes to the way we build a skilled workforce and in light of this it would be premature to draw definitive conclusions on the basis of the limited data available. We fully expect there to be a period of adjustment while employers decide how to maximise the opportunities these reforms present them. Apprenticeships offer an excellent route into skilled employment for people of all ages and backgrounds. We are working with employers closely to support them in growing their apprenticeship programmes and feedback shows they are positive about the benefits that apprenticeships can bring to their business. A new phase of our communications campaign started on 26 January 2018, to encourage employers to offer high quality apprenticeship opportunities and to promote these to potential apprentices, including those over 25. We are clear that everyone should benefit from the apprenticeship reforms and we are seeing that across England with over 1.2 million starts since 2015.



Over 25's apprenticeships
(PDF Document, 73.71 KB)

Schools: Codes of Practice

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department has made any estimate of the number and proportion of schools that have created a code of practice on inclusivity and tolerance.

Nick Gibb: The information requested is not held centrally.

Apprentices: Expenditure

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much his Department plans to spend on apprenticeships in the 2017-18 financial year; and how much his Department spent on apprenticeships in (a) 2016-17, (b) 2015-16, (c) 2014-15, (d) 2013-14 and (e) 2012-13.

Anne Milton: The Department for Education has made available £1,930 million funding for apprenticeships in the 2017-18 financial year.The table below details spending on apprenticeships from the 2012-13 financial year to the 2016-17 financial year: Financial year2012-132013-142014-152015-162016-17Total spend £(millions)1,4611,4591,5511,5401,632

Children's Centres: Inspections

Tracy Brabin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2018 to Question 124199, on Children's Centres: Inspections, what the timetable is for new inspection criteria to be produced.

Nadhim Zahawi: As previously stated in my answer to question 124199, children’s centre inspections are suspended. The letter from my hon. Friend, in his position as the former Parliamentary Under Secretary for Childcare and Education (Sam Gyimah) on 25 September 2015 to Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, stated that the Secretary of State for Education retains the ability to require Ofsted to undertake inspections and Ofsted itself retains the ability to inspect children’s centres if concerns are raised. The letter can be viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sure-start-childrens-centre-inspections-sam-gyimah-letter. We are determined to improve early years provision across the board. In December 2017, we published our Social Mobility Action Plan, Unlocking Talent, Fulfilling Potential. This plan sets out the government’s ambition to close the word gap in the early years. This is a clear direction for all those who have a part to play. Our focus now is on delivering this ambition. Through our new early years system leadership programme we will work with sector leaders to identify how best to do so, including through children’s centres. We will provide further details in due course.

Communication Trust

Tracy Brabin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reason his Department did not renew the specialist speech, language, and communication needs contract with The Communication Trust.

Tracy Brabin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether there will be any change to specialist speech, language, and communication needs support available after March 2018; and which organisation will provide that programme.

Nadhim Zahawi: The department let a one year contract with I CAN, on behalf of The Communication Trust (TCT), in April 2017 to support the workforce to develop their skills in supporting children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). That contract is due to end as planned at the end of March 2018.We recognise the important contribution this contract played in upskilling the workforce and supporting children and young people with SLCN and we remain committed to supporting those with SLCN.The department is in the process of tendering for the provision of strategic support to the workforce in mainstream and special schools, enabling them to deliver high quality teaching which meets the needs of an increasingly broad range of special educational needs (SEN). The successful contractor will be expected to monitor any gaps in provision, and propose ways to meet those, working with relevant SEN organisations. This contract will run in 2018-19 and 2019-20.In addition to this, as part of our drive to improve social mobility through education, we announced in our recent report, ‘Unlocking Talent, Fulfilling Potential’ https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/667690/Social_Mobility_Action_Plan_-_for_printing.pdf, our intention to work with Public Health England to support children’s early SLCN. Further details will be announced in due course.

Universities

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions the Government has had with UK universities on the negotiations for the UK leaving the EU.

Alex Burghart: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions the Government has had with UK universities on the negotiations for the UK leaving the EU.

Mr Sam Gyimah: We regularly engage with a wide range of higher education (HE) stakeholders – including universities and representative bodies such as Universities UK – at both ministerial and official levels to ensure we fully understand the sector’s priorities for EU exit. This engagement includes the High Level Stakeholder Working Group on EU Exit, Universities, Research and Innovation, which I chair as Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation. This group brings together voices from across the HE and research sector, and is also attended by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department for Exiting the European Union. We value this close engagement and we want to maintain a dialogue with the sector as discussions on the UK’s future relationship with the EU progress.

Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Justice: Presidents Club

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether any Ministers in his Department attended the Presidents Club Charity Dinner run by the Meller Educational Trust in an official capacity.

Dr Phillip Lee: No Ministers from the Ministry of Justice attended the Presidents Club Charity Dinner either in an official or personal capacity.

Coroners: Working Hours

Sir Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to implement the recommendation of the Chief Coroner, set out in his Annual Report 2016 - 2017, that coroner areas should provide an out-of-hours service to meet the needs of those whose faiths require early burial.

Dr Phillip Lee: Out of hours services in London are funded and arranged by local authorities and the Metropolitan Police Service. The Government is clear about the importance of out of hours’ coroner services and in recent years it has worked with local authorities and the police to encourage the deployment of additional staff. Last October eight additional members of staff who will work out of hours took up post, recruited and employed by the police, but the Government will continue to work with local authorities and the police on this. The availability of out of hours services in London will benefit the whole community, not just people of any particular faith.

Prison Sentences: Wales

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) male and (b) female young offenders who were resident in Wales at the time of their sentence are serving sentences in England.

Dr Phillip Lee: Of the prison population serving sentences in prisons in England on 31 December 2017, who were resident in Wales at the time of their sentence, there were:6 females aged 18-2012 males aged 15-1748 males ages 18-20 Around 97% of prisoners have an origin location - i.e. addresses that are recorded in our central IT system. If no address is given, an offender’s committal court address is used as a proxy for the area in which they are resident. Those with no recorded origin are typically foreign nationals or those recently received into custody. No address has been recorded and no court information is available for around 3% of all offenders. If there are any, these figures will have been excluded from the data. The numerical information provided has been drawn from administrative IT systems, which as with any large scale recording system are subject to possible error with data entry and processing.

Ministry of Justice: Public Expenditure

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department has spent on (a) art, (b) wine and (c) hospitality in each of the last seven financial years for which figures are available.

Dr Phillip Lee: Information to answer this question is not held at departmental level. A check would have to be made of individual premises across the HMCTS and HMPPS estates to obtain the information requested and this would incur a disproportionate cost.However, I can advise that the Ministry’s policy on Gifts and Hospitality states: When providing in-house hospitality (e.g. conferences and away days) for MoJ people, no alcohol is to be paid for from departmental funds. When providing hospitality to external parties, then discretion can be exercised with Director-level approval, e.g. a modest amount of wine with a meal.

Ministry of Justice: Directors

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, who the lead non-executive director and other non-executive director board members are in his Department.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Department does not currently have a lead non-executive director following the appointment of Lord Theodore Agnew as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the School System on 28 September 2017. Our current non-executive directors are Liz Doherty and Lizzie Noel. A recruitment process is underway to recruit a lead and other additional non-executive directors.

John Downey

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Government has had discussion with the Legal Aid Agency on the funding of civil proceedings against John Downey; and if he will make a statement.

Lucy Frazer: Over thirty years later families and friends are still suffering from the horrific consequences of the Hyde Park bombings. I would like to express my deepest sympathies to those affected by this terrorist crime.All individual case funding decisions are taken by the Legal Aid Agency. Ministers are prevented by law from intervening in this process. It is important that these decisions are, and are seen to be, free from political and Government influence.This matter is currently ongoing, and as such it would be inappropriate for me to comment further at this time.

John Downey

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the Legal Aid Agency has provided funding for John Downey.

Lucy Frazer: John Downey was granted legal aid to fund his representation in relation to the prosecution brought against him in 2013. Anyone facing a Crown Court trial is eligible for legal aid, subject to a strict means test. Applicants who meet the relevant means thresholds may still be required to pay a significant contribution towards the costs of their defence.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has plans to review the Criminal Cases Review Commission in terms of its accountability, Independence, efficiency and ability to investigate new evidence.

Dr Phillip Lee: The Government is currently conducting a Tailored Review of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC). The review will examine, among other things, the functions and form of the CCRC, its governance and performance. As part of the review, contributions have been sought from people and organisations that have an involvement with, or interest in, the CCRC. Analysis of these contributions will form the basis of the recommendations and the final report.The final report will be published in due course.

Terrorism: Hyde Park

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will examine the adequacy of the grounds for the refusal of legal aid to the victims of the Hyde Park bombing; and if he will make a statement.

Lucy Frazer: Over thirty years later families and friends are still suffering from the horrific consequences of the Hyde Park bombings. I would like to express my deepest sympathies to those affected by this terrorist crime.All individual case funding decisions are taken by the Legal Aid Agency. Ministers are prevented by law from intervening in this process. It is important that these decisions are, and are seen to be, free from political and Government influence.This matter is currently ongoing, and as such it would be inappropriate for me to comment further at this time.

Magistrates' Courts: Sunderland

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the letter to the hon. Member for Houghton and Sunderland South and the hon. Member for Sunderland Central from the former Minister of State for Courts and Justice on 11 December 2017, what the timetable is for the closure of the Sunderland Magistrates’ Court building.

Lucy Frazer: HM Courts & Tribunals Service is improving its court and tribunal estate in Sunderland. Work is underway to accommodate tribunal, family and criminal work at the magistrates’ court building. There are no plans in place to close the Sunderland Magistrates’ Court building.

Family Proceedings

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to publish his Department's Green Paper on family justice.

Lucy Frazer: I am clear that we need to look across the entire family justice system to make sure it is delivering the best outcomes for children and families, and protecting its most vulnerable users. We are working to consider what further changes are needed and will bring forward any proposals in due course.

Crime: Victims

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of compensation orders were paid within (a) one month and (b) one year of the order being made in each of the last three years for which data is available.

Rory Stewart: The information requested is not held centrally.

Domestic Violence: Criminal Proceedings

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many family law cases involved a victim of domestic abuse being cross-examined in court by the perpetrator in each of the last three years for which data is available.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice does not hold the data requested regarding victims of domestic abuse. We are committed to legislating to give family courts the power to prohibit the direct cross-examination of victims by their abusers as soon as parliamentary time allows.

Rape: Trials

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of rape cases in which the complainant's sexual history was referenced by the defence in each of the last three years for which data is available.

Lucy Frazer: The information requested is not held centrally. We asked the CPS to analyse a sample of rape cases finalised in 2016 to assess the frequency and outcome of applications to introduce evidence of a complainant’s sexual history under s 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999. A section 41 application was made by the defence in 13% of the 309 cases looked at. In 8% of the 309 cases, an application to permit such evidence was granted by the court. These are not official published statistics. For further details of this study, see our report published in December: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/limiting-the-use-of-complainants-sexual-history-in-sexual-offence-cases

Eastwood Park Prison: Mother and Baby Units

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for what reasons and for how long the mother and baby unit at HMP Eastwood Park has been closed.

Dr Phillip Lee: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2 November 2017 to Question UIN 109775: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2clords&member=252&keywords=eastwood%2cbaby The full refurbishment of the Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) at Eastwood Park is due to be completed this summer and the new unit will have improved facilities, with dedicated support for education, parenting and maintaining family ties.

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which organisations his Department plans to invite to submit evidence as part of the post-implementation review of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when his Department plans to invite organisations to submit evidence as part of the post-implementation review of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.

Lucy Frazer: As part of the Post-Implementation Review we will be inviting experts and interested parties to contribute analytical evidence on the effects of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.I am keen that we listen to views and I am currently considering the most effective way to do so.

Aiding and Abetting

Mr Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to review the use of joint enterprise and bring forward legislative proposals to clarify the law on joint enterprise as a result of the Resolution agreed by the House on Joint Enterprise on 25 January 2018, Official Report, columns 444-477.

Lucy Frazer: Joint Enterprise is a common law doctrine. The Supreme Court judgment in R v Jogee amended the law in this area, and did not call for Parliament to legislate. It is for our independent courts to interpret the law, as laid down by the Supreme Court. The Crown Prosecution Service has amended its guidance on secondary liability for prosecutors in line with the Jogee judgment, and has consulted on that guidance which aims to provide a clear direction for prosecutors in this area of law. The Government does not believe that any changes to the law on joint enterprise are currently needed, but will keep the matter under review.

Prisoners: Self-harm

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners were involved in self-harm incidents in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Rory Stewart: Data on self-harm in prison custody is published quarterly in the Safety in Custody statistics. The most recent statistics were published on 25 January 2018 and cover self-harm in prison custody to September 2017. They are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/safety-in-custody-quarterly-update-to-september-2017. The Government takes very seriously its responsibility to keep prisoners safe. We have established a prison safety programme that includes a comprehensive set of actions, including: rolling out revised and improved training for staff in assessing and managing the risk of suicide and self-harm amongst prisoners; improving support for prisoners in their early days in custody; revising the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork case management process for those identified as being at risk; and funding the Samaritans to provide their valuable Listeners Scheme.

Nottingham Prison

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will ensure that the Prison Officers Association is identified as a key participant to effect change in the HMP Nottingham Urgent Notification process and is given the opportunity to contribute to the prison’s Action Plan.

Rory Stewart: Yes. In responding to any Urgent Notification, HMPPS will ensure that every support possible is provided to the prison affected.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Housing: Construction

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment is made of whether protection of greenbelt land outweighs unmet assessed housing need when (a) making local plans and (b) considering individual planning applications; and if he will make a statement.

Dominic Raab: Holding answer received on 16 January 2018



This Government has a clear manifesto commitment to maintain the strong protections for Green Belt set out in our National Planning Policy Framework. The Framework makes clear that a local authority may alter the shape of its Green Belt only in exceptional circumstances, using the Local Plan process. The Framework does not define ‘exceptional circumstances’. Where necessary, and in consultation with the community, a local authority can propose a Green Belt boundary change as part of its Local Plan process, but the revised Plan is subject to rigorous, formal examination by a planning inspector.In the Housing White Paper, Fixing our broken housing market, we proposed that a local authority should be able to adjust a Green Belt boundary only when it demonstrates that it has examined all other reasonable options for meeting its identified development needs, including:- the effective use of suitable brownfield land;- the potential offered by under-used land;- optimising the density of development; and- exploring whether other authorities can help to meet some of the identified development requirement.We have been analysing the responses not only to the White Paper, but also to our later consultation on the assessment of local housing need. We will be announcing our conclusions on both as soon as possible, alongside a consultation draft of a revised National Planning Policy Framework.

Domestic Safety

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has plans to review or update the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).

Dominic Raab: The Housing Health and Safety Rating System was introduced by the Housing Act 2004. It is a risk based assessment tool which is used by local authorities to assess the risk of a hazard in residential housing to the health and safety of occupants or visitors. The system is kept under regular review, including whether the guidance needs to be updated.The Government has commissioned Dame Judith Hackitt to take forward an independent review of building and fire safety regulations and their effectiveness. A decision on whether the guidance on the Housing Health and Safety Rating System needs to be updated will be taken following the completion of that review, which is expected to be in Spring 2018.

Houseboats

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which regulations govern the rental of houseboats; and whether he plans to amend those regulations.

Dominic Raab: Holding answer received on 18 January 2018



The use of inland waterways in England is regulated by the appropriate navigation authority with responsibility for the waterway. Residential boats moored or used for continuous cruising are subject to licensing by the authority. As houseboats are chattel (and not fixed to ground), regulations applying to rented dwellings in England do not extend to them.

Planning Permission

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many planning inspectorate decisions there were in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and what proportion of those decision were found in favour of the applicant.

Dominic Raab: The total number of decisions issued in the financial years between 2007/08 and 2016/17 range from 16,718 in 2012/13 to 26,063 in 2008/09. The proportion of these that are allowed has remained steady at 32-34 per cent.

Affordable Housing

Alex Chalk: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether planned changes related to viability assessments will include the introduction of a standard methodology for such assessments.

Dominic Raab: Viability assessments play an important role in making sure that both plans and individual proposals are deliverable.However the use of viability assessments to inform the negotiation of section 106 planning obligations can add complexity and uncertainty to the planning process, leading to delays.In September the Government consulted on proposals to simplify the viability assessment process and create more certainty about the contributions developers are expected to make.The consultation asked what factors should be taking into account in updating national planning guidance, to encourage viability assessments to be simpler, quicker and more transparent, for example through a standardised report.The consultation has now closed and we are currently analysing the responses. A further announcement will be made in due course.

Grenfell Tower: Fires

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the ability of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to effectively manage the casework involved in rehousing Grenfell Tower residents.

Dominic Raab: The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) has committed to provide survivors from Grenfell Tower and Grenfell Walk with a permanent new home in social housing within one year of the fire.Following the fire, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government set up the independent Grenfell Recovery Taskforce to provide assurance that RBKC has the capacity and capability to deliver an effective long term recovery plan for its residents, taking into account their views.In its first report in November 2017, the Taskforce identified four key areas in which the Council need to step up: pace, innovation, skills and empathy. The Taskforce is due to report to the Secretary of State at the end of February on RBKC’s progress in implementing those recommendations and he will provide an update to the House.It is important that the rehousing proceeds at a pace which respects the needs, wants and situations of survivors and I expect the Council to do whatever is necessary to ensure households can move into settled homes as swiftly as possible. Both my Department and the independent Taskforce will continue to monitor the situation carefully. Ministers continue to meet regularly with RBKC Councillors, and officials from my Department also meet regularly with RBKC officials to ensure the Council can meet its commitment.

Faith Schools: Security

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Secretary of State plans to reform the planning system to ensure that Jewish religious schools can develop barriers and other security infrastructure to ensure the safety of pupils and staff.

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Secretary of State plans to reform the planning system to ensure that Muslim religious schools can develop barriers and other security infrastructure to ensure the safety of pupils and staff.

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to reform the planning system to allow Christian religious schools to develop physical barriers and other security infrastructure to ensure the safety of pupils and staff.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) sets out guidance in creating safe and accessible communities. The NPPF recommends that local planning authorities ensure their policies and decisions aim to create safe and accessible environments where crime and disorder, and the fear of crime, do not undermine quality of life or community cohesion.Reference should also be made to the guidance "Protecting crowded places: design and technical issues" jointly published by the Home Office and National Counter Terrorism Security Office, which can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/302016/DesignTechnicalIssues2014.pdf.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Presidents Club

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether any Ministers in his Department attended the Presidents Club Charity Dinner run by the Meller Educational Trust in an official capacity.

Jake Berry: No Ministers from the Department attended this event.

Housing: Standards

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many homes have been identified as unfit for human habitation by local authorities for each constituency in the last five years.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The department publishes annual statistics on the number of homes with a Housing health and safety rating system (HHSRS) Category 1 hazard in each local authority. These are dwellings where this has been raised by a tenant with the local authority. A table containing the most recent data (for 2016/17) can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/local-authority-housing-statistics-data-returns-for-2016-to-2017

Domestic Violence

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to prevent the closure of domestic violence refuges.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: Domestic abuse is a life shattering and absolutely abhorrent crime. Tackling it is a key priority for this government.We have invested £33.5 million since 2014 in safe accommodation, including refuge, and services that support victims of domestic abuse. 80 projects across the country are receiving part of our 2016/18 £20 million fund for safe accommodation and local service reform, which will create more than 2,200 bed spaces and support over 19,000 victims.We set out our expectations of local areas in supporting victims of domestic abuse in our Priorities for Domestic Abuse services, published in November 2016. We are also undertaking a thorough review of funding for refuge in England, including the critical care and support costs, and will conclude by Summer 2018. The review will be informed by an audit of all local authority commissioned domestic abuse services, to report in spring.We are exploring all options for future delivery of domestic abuse services in England, including a national model for refuges. We are committed to working closely with sector partners, drawing on their expertise and knowledge, as we undertake our review.

Rented Housing: Hazards

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many and what proportion of homes with category 1 hazards were owned by (a) local authorities, (b) social landlords and (c) private landlords in each of the last seven years.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: Data on the number of homes with a Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) Category 1 hazard, by tenure are published on the Department's website for the years 2008, 2013, and 2015. The data shows that the number of homes with a category 1 hazard declined between 2008 and 2015 by 22 per cent in the private rented sector, and by 57 per cent in the social rented sector.This information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/627668/Potential_stock_improvements_report_Chapter_1_housing_quality.xlsx

Multiple Occupation: Licensing

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the mandatory licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: Mandatory licensing applies to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) that are three or more storeys and occupied by five or more persons forming at least two separate households.The Department considers mandatory licensing of these larger HMOs as being effective in raising property conditions and standards. This is why we consulted on extending its scope and we will, subject to parliamentary clearance, bring forward new legislation requiring all HMOs (subject to a few exceptions) with five or more occupiers to have a local authority licence.

Land Use: West Midlands

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of hectares of land in the West Midlands changing to residential use that was (a) previously developed and (b) not previously developed, since 1988.

Dominic Raab: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Non-domestic Rates

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which criteria were used to determine the allocation of the latest round of business rates retention pilots.

Rishi Sunak: All applications to become a 100 per cent business rates retention pilot in 2018/19 were assessed under the criteria laid out in the ‘Invitation to Local Authorities in England to pilot 100% Business Rates Retention in 2018/19 and to pioneer new pooling and tier-split models’, published on 1 September 2017:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/654936/Pilots_1819_Prospectus.pdf

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Housing

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many letters he and his predecessor received directly from service personnel and their dependents raising concerns or complaints on accommodation issues in the last two years.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: In the last two years, nine letters are recorded as having been received addressed to the Secretary of State for Defence from Service personnel and their dependents raising concerns or complaints about their accommodation issues.

Ministry of Defence: Public Expenditure

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on (a) art, (b) wine and (c) hospitality in each of the last seven financial years for which figures are available.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: There has been no Departmental expenditure on acquiring art items over the last seven years. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) Art Collection has been disestablished and ownership of the most significant works have been transferred to other public institutions in order to ensure their continued protection and public display.The amount spent on wine and hospitality is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The MOD has strict rules on hospitality, including the purchase of alcohol.

Ministry of Defence: Chemring Group

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2018 to Question 124375, on Ministry of Defence: Chemring Group, what the total value of those 70 contracts is.

Guto Bebb: Since 2008, the Ministry of Defence has entered into more than 70 contracts with the Chemring group. The total value of these is approximately £102 million.

Department for Work and Pensions

Children: Maintenance

Marion Fellows: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, why the Child Maintenance Service allows non-resident parents £2,500 of unearned income that is not factored into payment plans; and whether he plans to review this policy.

Kit Malthouse: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 12 October 2017.The correct answer should have been:

Calculation of a child maintenance liability is based on gross income information provided directly to the Child Maintenance Service by HMRC. Individuals are required to declare unearned income not taxed at source which does not exceed £2500 a year to HMRC, which already enables HMRC to include it in the income information they provide. Unearned income exceeding £2500 a year is dealt with by HMRC through tax self-assessment and is picked up in a child maintenance calculation through an unearned income variation. We have no plans to review this.The treatment of unearned income for child maintenance purposes is aligned with this for administrative efficiency. We are inviting views on the future treatment of "income" within the recently published Compliance and Arrears Strategy consultation.

Caroline Dinenage: Calculation of a child maintenance liability is based on gross income information provided directly to the Child Maintenance Service by HMRC. Individuals are required to declare unearned income not taxed at source which does not exceed £2500 a year to HMRC, which already enables HMRC to include it in the income information they provide. Unearned income exceeding £2500 a year is dealt with by HMRC through tax self-assessment and is picked up in a child maintenance calculation through an unearned income variation. We have no plans to review this.The treatment of unearned income for child maintenance purposes is aligned with this for administrative efficiency. We are inviting views on the future treatment of "income" within the recently published Compliance and Arrears Strategy consultation.

Productivity

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions , what assessment she has made of the effect on productivity of (a) absence as a result of stress or mental ill health and (b) presenteeism over the last three years.

Sarah Newton: Thriving at Work; The Stevenson/Farmer Review of mental health and employers, published in October 2017, sets out a compelling business case for employers to support their staff’s mental health. In the review, an independent study on the cost to employers of poor employee mental health commissioned from Deloitte found that:There is a large annual cost to employers of between £33 billion and £42 billion (with over half of the cost coming from presenteeism – when individuals are less productive due to poor mental health in work) with additional costs from sickness absence and staff turnover.The cost of poor mental health to Government is between £24 billion and £27 billion. This includes costs in providing benefits, falls in tax revenue and costs to the NHS.The cost of poor mental health to the economy as a whole is more than both of those together from lost output, at between £74 billion and £99 billion per year.The Government’s full response to the review is included in Improving Lives: The Future of Work Health and Disability where we set out a broad ranging strategy to further support disabled people and people with health conditions – including mental health conditions - to enter and thrive in work.

Direct Selling: New Enterprise Allowance

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much money from the new enterprise allowance has been granted to people to participate in multi-level marketing schemes with (a) Herbalife UK, (b) Forever Living, (c) Younique, (d) Arbonne, (e) Lifetree World, (f) Jamberry, (g) Amway, (h) JuicePlus, (i) Stella & Dot, (j) Ariix (k) Maelle and (l) other organisations in each year since 2010.

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of the new enterprise allowance has been granted to people wishing to participate in multi-level marketing schemes with (a) Herbalife UK, (b) Forever Living, (c) Younique, (d) Arbonne, (e) Lifetree World, (f) Jamberry, (g) Amway, (h) JuicePlus, (i) Stella & Dot, (j) Ariix (k) Maelle and (l) other organisations in each year since 2010.

Alok Sharma: The New Enterprise Allowance does not provide support or funding for Multi-Level Marketing businesses.

Universal Credit: Poverty

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effect of the roll-out of universal credit on levels of child poverty.

Alok Sharma: The impact of Universal Credit cannot be considered in isolation. Tackling child poverty and disadvantage is a priority for this government and Universal Credit is a key component of a broader strategy to move Britain to a higher wage, lower welfare and lower tax society. This strategy includes increasing the personal tax allowance and introducing the national living wage.In line with this strategy, Universal Credit is designed to strengthen incentives for parents to move into and progress in work, and it is working. Universal Credit claimants move into work faster and spend more time looking for work.In addition, Universal Credit provides improved support for childcare for parents, enabling them to reclaim up to 85% of their eligible childcare costs, which is expected to help 500,000 additional families at a cost of around £350m per year.At the Budget, the Chancellor announced a number of further improvements to Universal Credit which will help ensure that claimants are supported until they receive their first monthly Universal Credit payment.

Personal Independence Payment: Mental Health

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the implication for her policies are of the High Court ruling of 21 December 2017, RF v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Sarah Newton: I refer the Hon. Member to the statement made by myself, Official Report, 30 January 2018, Column 704.The Department for Work and Pensions will not be appealing this judgment. The Department will therefore implement the Upper Tribunal judgment in MH.

Mortgages: Midlothian

Danielle Rowley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, from 5 April 2018 how many people in Midlothian will be affected by the decision to change SMI from a benefit to a loan.

Kit Malthouse: The proportion of people in Midlothian that will be affected when SMI becomes a loan is not known because robust numbers of SMI claimants at a constituency level are unavailable.

EU Grants and Loans

Faisal Rashid: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Government plans to match the funding provided by the European Social Fund after the UK leaves the EU.

Alok Sharma: The Government’s 2017 election manifesto committed to create a new UK Shared Prosperity Fund to reduce inequalities between communities across the UK. The design of this new fund is currently being considered, including its funding arrangements, and further details will be set out in due course.

Employment and Support Allowance

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many ESA113 forms were processed by his Department in (a) 2017, (b) 2016, (c) 2015.

Sarah Newton: The Department does not process ESA113 forms these are issued by the Assessment Provider. The volume of ESA113 forms issued by the Assessment Provider for (a) 2017, (b) 2016, (c) 2015 is set out in the table below: YearVolume of ESA113 forms requested2017610,4572016500,2532015209,943

Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many reports were requested from GPs in connection with claims for personal independence payments in (a) 2017, (b) 2016 and (c) 2015.

Sarah Newton: The specific information requested is not available as further medical evidence can be requested from a wide range of health professionals such as consultants, mental health nurses and not just GPs. The Department is able to provide information relating to the total number of recorded requests for further medical evidence by each assessment provider which will, but does not solely, include requests to GPs, this information is set out in the tables below. Independent Assessment Service (Lots 1 and 3) YearTotal Recorded Requests for further medical evidence 201798,084201658,979201551,166 Capita (Lot 2) YearTotal Recorded Requests for further medical evidence201720,902201648,240201594,349

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Health Care Professional assessments were carried out by her Department in (a) 2017, (b) 2016 and (c) 2015.

Sarah Newton: The total volume of Health Care Professional assessments carried out by Assessment Providers on behalf of DWP in 2017, 2016 and 2015 can be found in the table below. YearNo of assessment20172,152,91520162,027,01720151,560,521

Universal Credit

Danielle Rowley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria her Department is using to assess whether the roll-out phase of universal credit is successful.

Alok Sharma: The roll-out of Universal Credit Full Service began in May 2016. Since then, 235 jobcentres have successfully gone live with the Full Service.Universal Credit is all about getting people into work and, for those already in work, increasing their income through more work. Research shows that Universal Credit is working and people are 4% more likely to find work within the first six months than under Jobseeker’s Allowance. In addition Universal Credit claimants spent around 50% more time looking for a job than they did under Jobseeker’s Allowance, and 86% of people on Universal Credit were actively looking to increase their hours, compared to just 38% of people on Jobseeker’s Allowance.Further information on the labour market impacts of Universal Credit can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/643952/understanding-how-universal-credit-influences-employment-behaviour.pdf

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Tobacco: Waste

Mrs Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the environmental effect of cigarette waste; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Smoking related litter is considered to be litter and the Government has made no particular assessment of its environmental effect.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Public Expenditure

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much his Department spent on (a) art, (b) wine and (c) hospitality in each of the last seven financial years for which figures are available.

George Eustice: Expenditure on art and wine can only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Purchases of alcohol are not permitted under Defra’s Travel and Subsistence Policy. Defra’s expenditure on hospitality by financial year is set out in the table below. Financial YearExpenditure on Hospitality (£000)2010/112042011/121382012/131232013/141902014/151492015/16902016/17182

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Directors

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who the lead non-executive director and other non-executive director board members are in his Department.

George Eustice: We are running a campaign to recruit a new lead non-executive director and other non-executive director board members, and announcements will be made shortly. Details of existing non-executive director board members can be found on the department's website at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs.

Plastics: Packaging

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with major supermarkets on the reduction of plastic use.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Defra officials recently met Iceland’s Managing Director to discuss Iceland’s plan to eliminate plastic in its own brands by 2023. In December 2017, the Secretary of State chaired a roundtable with representatives from across the plastic sector to discuss reducing the amount of packaging produced and increasing the level of recycling. In November I wrote to a number of major retailers to ask about their packaging choices for specific products.

Seas and Oceans: Environment Protection

Ross Thomson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to raise awareness of the Blue Belt programme during the International Year of the Reef.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Blue Belt Programme supports the delivery of the UK Government’s manifesto commitment to provide long-term protection to the waters around the UK and its Overseas Territories. We are currently on course to deliver over four million square kilometres of marine protection by 2020. As the waters around the UK Overseas Territories hold substantial tropical reefs, the UK Government has re-engaged with the International Coral Reef Initiative as a founding member. This re-engagement has been welcomed by all parties. In addition, the UK Government has highlighted the importance of coral reefs in its 25 Year Environmental Plan where its ambition is to champion and support coral reef conservation and biodiversity in the UK and its Overseas Territories. This year is the Third International Year of the Reef. We are seeking ways to promote the importance of coral reef conservation, together with the Blue Belt programme, through the course of the year as well as during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Equality: Impact Assessments

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the implementation of Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010 in the integrated impact assessments of (a) Newcastle, (b) Leicester, (c) Newham, (d) Islington and (e) Southwark local authorities.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: The Department has made no such assessment.I refer the Hon Member to the response to Question UIN 121866 on 24 January 2018.

Wales Office

Wales Office: Public Expenditure

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much his Department spent on (a) art, (b) wine and (c) hospitality in each of the last seven financial years for which figures are available.

Stuart Andrew: The amount spent on (a) art, (b) wine and (c) hospitality in the Wales Office for the last seven financial years is shown below: Financial YearSpend on ArtSpend on Wine Spend on Hospitality2010-11NilNilNil2011-12NilNilNil2012-13Nil£232.65Nil2013-14Nil£629.24Nil2014-15Nil£347.29£8,4392015-16Nil£668.47Nil2016-17Nil£923.40Nil

Department of Health and Social Care

Doctors

Mrs Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the ability of the General Medical Council to investigate concerns about doctors working in the NHS; and if he will make an assessment of the merits of lifting the GMC's 5-year rule on investigations.

Stephen Barclay: Under s.35CC(5) of the Medical Act, an allegation which is more than five years old will only be investigated by the General Medical Council where it is in the public interest to do so. Five years is considered a reasonable time frame for an allegation to be brought. After that time there may be practical issues for investigation, for example the accessibility of evidence. It would not be appropriate for the regulators to use their resources on cases where there is limited evidence when there is no public interest in investigating.

Bicycles: Hire Services

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the health benefits of bike-share schemes.

Steve Brine: Public Health England (PHE) has not had any specific conversations nor conducted any specific work on the health benefits of bike-share schemes with the Department for Transport. PHE has commissioned a number of evidence reviews which include information on the health benefits of cycling, such as ‘Working Together to Promote Active Travel: A briefing for local authorities’ (2016), which is available to view here:www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/523460/Working_Together_to_Promote_Active_Travel_A_briefing_for_local_authorities.pdf

Cancer: Oxfordshire

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress is being made on implementing the NHS England Cancer Strategy in Oxfordshire.

Steve Brine: Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group has been working hard to implement the cancer Strategy for England within Oxfordshire and are committed to improving cancer services to all of its patients. They have just secured funding for a new post (in conjunction with Macmillan Cancer Support) to develop an Oxfordshire Cancer Strategy and continue implementation of the national strategy. Work on national strategy key priority areas, including prevention, early diagnosis, improving patient experience and living with and beyond cancer has already been undertaken. Additionally, the launch of Thames Valley Cancer Alliance provides an opportunity for a different way of working; taking a whole population, whole pathway approach to improving cancer outcomes across its geographical footprint and building on Sustainability and Transformation Plans. The Alliance brings together influential local decision makers and is responsible for directing funding to transform services and care, delivering continuous improvement and reducing inequalities of experience of care. The Alliance published its five-year delivery plan in January 2017. The plan is the Alliance’s blueprint for local delivery of the national strategy.

Department of Health and Social Care: Presidents Club

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether any Ministers from his Department attended the Presidents Club Charity Dinner run by the Meller Educatonal Trust in an official capacity.

Caroline Dinenage: No Ministers attended the Presidents Club Charity Dinner.

Department of Health and Social Care: Public Expenditure

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much his Department has spent on (a) art, (b) wine and (c) hospitality in each of the last seven financial years for which figures are available.

Caroline Dinenage: The expenditure incurred by the Department on hospitality over the past seven years is in the table and the Department cannot identify expenditure in more detail. The Department has no recorded expenditure on the purchase of art. YearTotal Hospitality (£s)2010-11153,6542011-1275,0352012-13935,699*2013-1411,2822014-1514,3402015-167,7482016-179,497 Note:*In 2012-13, some spend relating to conference costs has been miscoded to the hospitality account code. There is no means to identify the miscoded spend and thus hospitality spend is not separately identifiable in this financial year.

General Practitioners

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the number and proportion of people who were unable to secure within a week an appointment with a GP since January 2017; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the level of access to GPs on attendance at accident and emergency departments since January 2017.

Steve Brine: The latest GP Patient Survey which surveyed patients over January - March 2017 found that 20% of respondents waited a week or more to see or speak to someone. Of these, 36% wanted to be seen sooner, 32% wanted to wait a week or more before seeing a general practitioner (GP) or nurse and 31% said they did not have a specific day in mind for their appointment. In relation to impact on accident and emergency, 19% of respondents to the GP survey said that they either were not able to get an appointment or were not offered an appointment at a convenient time. Of these, 4.7% went to an accident and emergency department instead. This amounts to 0.8% of all respondents to the survey.

General Practitioners: Greater London

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 8 July 2015 to Question 4874, on general practitioners: Greater London, how many (a) general medical services, (b) personal medical services and (c) alternative provider medical services contracts were issued for GP surgeries in (i) Hampstead and Kilburn constituency and (ii) in London in (A) 2016 and (B) 2017.

Steve Brine: There have been no Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS), General Medical Services (GMS) or Personal Medical Services (PMS) contracts procured in the Hampstead and Kilburn constituency since 2013. NHS England has confirmed that across London, 10 APMS contracts were issued in 2016; and in 2017, 14 have been issued with one further contract to go live on 1 March 2018. No GMS or PMS contracts have been issued in London in 2016 or in 2017.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 8 September 2015 to Question 8249, on mental health services: children and young people, how many Child and Adolescent Mental Services in-patient Tier 4 beds were available in each region since January 2017; and what the average waiting time was for such a bed in each such region in that same period.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The number of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services inpatient Tier 4 beds by region is shown in the table below. RegionService areaJanuary 2017London  Regional total231South  Regional total323North Regional total404Midlands and East Regional total491National  National total1,449Source: NHS England Data is not available on the average waiting times for these beds.

Lipoedema

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of women suffering from Lipedema.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what clinical commissioning groups offer treatment for Lipedema as standard.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what Lipedema treatments have been approved by NICE.

Steve Brine: Prevalence estimates for Lipoedema vary, though suggest a minimum of 1 in 72,000 women are affected. Approaches to treatment that may be offered by local National Health Service services are usually non-surgical and may include: - compression therapy (bandages or garments that squeeze the affected limbs);- exercise (usually low-impact exercises, such as swimming); and- massage (techniques that help encourage the flow of fluid through the body). Liposuction may be also considered, however there is limited evidence for its efficacy in the treatment of the condition and it is not routinely available on the NHS. As there has been little research into lipoedema, there is some uncertainty about the best way to treat the condition. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has not assessed, and therefore not approved, any approaches for the management or treatment of lipoedema.

Lipoedema

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what learning modules are approved by NHS England to clinicians dealing with Lipedema cases.

Steve Brine: It is not the role of NHS England to routinely endorse or approve clinical learning modules. Learning modules are developed by a broad range of organisations, including: Health Education England, the national organisation responsible for overseeing the workforce recruitment, education and training in the National Health Service; clinical professional membership organisations, such as the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP); and health charities. In May 2014, the RCGP, in partnership with the charity Lipoedema UK, developed and published an e-learning module for general practitioners on the diagnosis and management of lipoedema. The module was endorsed by the Royal College of Nursing and can be found at the following link: elearning.rcgp.org.uk/course/info.php?id=146&popup=0

Antidepressants

Robert Courts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many incidents the NHS has recorded of Citalopram leading to the deterioration of a patient's health in 2016-17.

Robert Courts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment has been made of the side-effects of Citalopram on patients.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are collected by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Commission for Human Medicines (CHM) through the spontaneous reporting scheme, the Yellow Card Scheme. The MHRA continuously monitors the safety of all medicines on the market in the United Kingdom and seeks independent expert advice from the CHM on important new safety issues. The Yellow Card Scheme collects information relating to suspected adverse drug reactions, which include both serious and non-serious effects which a doctor or patient suspects may have been due to a medicine. The MHRA has received a total of 593 suspected spontaneous ADR reports in association with citalopram between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2017. This number includes reports received directly from healthcare professionals, patients and indirectly through pharmaceutical companies which have a legal obligation to report suspected ADRs. The number of reports received directly from the National Health Service cannot be determined. The MHRA does not hold information on deterioration of health. Each ADR report contains information on an ADR at a specific point in time, rather than a deterioration of health over a period of time, and should therefore not be interpreted as a report of a deterioration of a patient's health. The inclusion of a particular ADR in a report does not necessarily mean it has been caused by the drug, only that the reporter had a suspicion it may have, or it had a close temporal relationship to the administration of the suspect drug. The fact that symptoms occur after a treatment does not necessarily mean that they have been caused by the drug itself, as underlying illnesses and other conditions may be responsible. Citalopram is an antidepressant belonging to the class of medicines known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Citalopram is an effective medicine for the treatment of depression. Information about possible side-effects associated with treatment are provided in the product information which is available to all prescribers and patients. Data is evaluated as it emerges and where necessary regulatory action is taken and communicated to healthcare professionals and the information for patients is updated.

Incinerators: Health Hazards

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2017 to Question 50386, on Incinerators: Health hazards, what information his Department holds on the planned publication date for the papers.

Steve Brine: It is expected that papers from the project on the health hazards of incinerators will be submitted by the Small Area Health Statistics Unit to peer reviewed journals in early 2018, and it is likely to be a few months after submission for the papers to be published.

Breast Cancer: Greater London

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the running cost of Central and East London breast screening services has been in each of the last three years.

Steve Brine: The information is shown in the following table: Barts Health NHS Trust - Breast screening service 2014/152015/162016/17 £'000£'000£'000Actuals2,9093,8883,036

Nurses: Training

Liz McInnes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of the replacement with loans of the nurse training bursary on the number of applications from mature students in the last 12 months.

Stephen Barclay: The Government published a consultation response and Equality Analysis on the 21 July 2016. These documents provide the assessment of the potential effect of the replacement of National Health Service bursaries by student loans for all the protected characteristics of the Public Sector Equality Duty (Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) application data showed that the number of English-domiciled students aged 21 and above applying for nursing and midwifery courses1 in 2017 was 24,160; applicant numbers were 28% lower than in 2016. UCAS’s end-of-cycle data showed the number of acceptances of students aged 21 and above to nursing and midwifery in England in 2017 was 13,025; this is similar to acceptance numbers in 2014 and 2015. A number of provisions have been made to support all pre-registration nursing, midwifery and allied health profession students. These include child dependents allowance, travel and dual accommodation support and an exceptional hardship fund in certain circumstances.Developing new work based routes into nursing is a priority for the Department. That is why we have developed the new nursing associate role and Nursing Degree Apprenticeship which will open up routes into the registered nursing profession for thousands of people from all backgrounds and allow employers to grow their own workforce. There are currently 2,000 Nursing Associates in training on 35 Health Education England Pilots, due to complete and become qualified in 2019. Note:1It should be noted that the information provided is for nursing and midwifery as UCAS’s published data does not separate out the two courses.

Care Homes: Yorkshire and the Humber

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how his Department plans to support social care providers in Yorkshire and the Humber following changes in pay for support care workers carrying out sleep-in shifts.

Caroline Dinenage: The Government recognises the pressure that sleep-in liabilities may place on care providers and is exploring options to minimise any impact on the social care sector. The Government is committed to ensuring that the social care sector is stable, both for those receiving care and for care workers. We have given local authorities in England an extra £2 billion over the next three years to maintain access for our growing aging population and allow councils to sustain a diverse care market including care home places.

Eating Disorders: Children and Young People

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of eating disorder services for children and young people in Coventry.

Jackie Doyle-Price: NHS England reports progress against the national access and waiting time standard for children and young people’s community eating disorder services on a quarterly basis. This includes national, regional and local data, including for Coventry. This is available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cyped-waiting-times/ A range of support is available to local areas to maintain performance towards the ambition of 95% of children and young people referred starting treatment within one week for urgent or four weeks for routine cases by 2020. NHS England Specialised Commissioning has 55 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services eating disorder beds in the West Midlands. There are no specialist eating disorder beds in Coventry. NHS England Specialised Commissioning is not aware of any concerns with the quality or access to eating disorder services in the West Midlands. One Eating Disorder service (Newbridge) has been rated “Outstanding” by the Care Quality Commission and is considered to be one of the best in the country.

Ambulance Services: West Midlands

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of ambulance waiting times in (a) Coventry and (b) West Midlands in each month in 2017.

Stephen Barclay: Following a rigorous and independent evaluation of the clinically-led Ambulance Response Programme, in July 2017 the Department agreed NHS England’s recommendations to implement an improved ambulance performance framework. These changes improve responses to patients and the efficiency and resiliency of the ambulance service in the face of rising demand. All mainland National Health Service ambulance trusts are now operating against this new framework, and the ambulance service on the Isle of Wight will do so from April 2018. West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust is largely meeting the new performance standards. Regional ambulance response time performance is available and is published monthly by NHS England. This can be found online at the following address. Response time performance by city or county area is not centrally collected. https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/

Tobacco

Mr David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what advice he has received from Public Health England on heat-not-burn tobacco products as a result of the conclusions of the 2016 Annual Report of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment, published in August 2017.

Steve Brine: On 12 December 2017, the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment, the Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment and the Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment published their joint statement on the relative risk from using heat not burn novel tobacco products notified in the United Kingdom, compared to the risk from smoking conventional cigarettes. It is available here:https://cot.food.gov.uk/cotstatements/cotstatementsyrs/cot-statements-2017/statement-on-heat-not-burn-tobacco-productsThe products continue to be regulated as tobacco products. As outlined in the Tobacco Control Plan the Government will monitor the impact of regulation and policy on e-cigarettes and novel tobacco products in England (including evidence on safety, uptake, the health impact and effectiveness of these products as smoking cessation aids) to inform our actions and regulate their use. Public Health England will also update its evidence base on e-cigarettes and novel tobacco products annually until the end of the Parliament in 2022. The next report is due to be published in February.

Caffeine: Children

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the merits of setting age restrictions on the sale of high caffeine energy drinks to children to protect their health.

Steve Brine: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for West Lancashire on 15 January 2018 to Questions 121787 and 121788.

Strokes: Health Services

Rosie Duffield: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that changes to stroke services do not delay access to treatment for those living in areas with the poorest health outcomes.

Steve Brine: The National Health Service across the country is working to organise acute stroke care to ensure that all stroke patients, regardless of where they live or what time of the day or week have their stroke, have access to high quality specialist care. Recent work looking at the National Stroke audit data has shown very little difference in access to stroke care in the basis of socio-economic group. These data have been submitted for publication but are not yet in the public domain.

Health Visitors: Training

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many health visitor training places were (a) available and (b) filled in the most recent academic year for which data is available.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The latest available information from Health Education England shows that there were 817 health visitor training places made available in England in the 2016-17 academic year. 539 of these available places were taken up by students.

Community Nurses

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many community health nurses were employed by the NHS in each year since 2010.

Caroline Dinenage: Since May 2010, the number of nurses working in the National Health Service has increased by almost 6,200 full time equivalent (FTE), which is an increase of 2.2%. We have also announced an increase of more than 5,000 extra nurse training places every year. NHS Digital publishes workforce statistics and the following table shows FTE community health nurses working in the NHS trusts and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in England from 31 May 2010 to 31 October 2017. Community health nurses are a specialty group of the nurses and health visitor’s workforce. NHS Hospital and Community Health Services: Community health nurses working in NHS trusts and CCGs as at each specified year (FTE). FTEOctober 2010October 2011October 2012October 2013October 2014October 2015October 2016October 2017Community health nurses41,16039,83636,73136,49036,22036,00935,81135,432Source: NHS Digital monthly workforce statistics The Five Year Forward View acknowledged more needs to be done to transform community nursing. To meet the unprecedented demographic challenges and the complex needs of delivering care closer to and within people’s homes, there is an urgent requirement to increase numbers, capability and image to transform community services. As a first step, Health Education England with NHS England and partners will be embarking on a comprehensive review of the current range of community based nursing qualifications.

Infant Foods

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will reinstate the infant feeding survey.

Jackie Doyle-Price: There are no current plans to reinstate the Infant Feeding Survey. Some information on the incidence and prevalence of breastfeeding is available from other sources including Public Health England (Breastfeeding at 6-8 weeks) and NHS Digital’s Maternity Services Dataset (First feed breastmilk) official statistics. Other surveys of women’s experiences of maternity services undertaken by the Care Quality Commission and the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit at Oxford University provide background and context.

Maternity Services

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will ensure that all maternity services are accredited by the Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Public Health England and UNICEF UK have developed a toolkit to support commissioning of evidence-based interventions to improve breastfeeding rates across England, including provision of effective professional support to mothers and their families through implementation of the Baby Friendly Initiative in every maternity unit. The majority of maternity units (91%) and health visiting services (85%) across the United Kingdom are now working towards Baby Friendly accreditation, and new neonatal and children’s centre standards have been introduced to help services improve care.

*No heading*

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Medicines Agency on the UK health sector.

Jackie Doyle-Price: We recognise the important role that the European Medicines Agency plays in the protection of human and animal health. In negotiations, the Government will discuss with the European Union and Member States how best to continue cooperation in the field of medicines regulation in the best interests of both the United Kingdom and the EU. The UK is fully committed to continuing the close working relationship with our European partners. Our aim is to ensure that patients in the UK and across the EU continue to be able to access the best and most innovative medicines and be assured that their safety is protected through the strongest regulatory framework and sharing of data. As the Prime Minister has stated, we want deep, broad and dynamic co-operation and in this context, the UK would like to find a way to continue to collaborate with the EU, in the interests of public health and safety.

HM Treasury

Treasury: Chief Scientific Advisers

Norman Lamb: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings he had with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 October and 31 December 2017.

Elizabeth Truss: The Chancellor has yet to meet with the interim Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA), but he and the Chief Secretary both met with the previous GCSA and look forward to meeting with the new GCSA in due course after their appointment.

Corporation Tax

Bim Afolami: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the total sum of revenue that it has generated from the gradual reductions in the rate of corporation tax since 2010.

Mel Stride: Since 2010 the Government has reduced the rate of Corporation Tax from 28 per cent to 19 per cent today, and has announced a further reduction to 17 per cent from 1 April 2020. The Exchequer costs of each rate reduction are certified by the Office for Budget Responsibility. They are published in Table 2.1 of the Budget or Autumn Statement document at announcement, and Table 2.2 of subsequent Budget documents until implementation. Despite lowering the rate, onshore Corporation Tax revenues have increased by around 50 per cent, from £36.2 billion in 2010-11 to £54.1 billion in 2016-17, and are above their pre-crisis peak.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Bim Afolami: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the total sum of revenue that it has generated from increases in stamp duty since 2010.

Mel Stride: The government has introduced a number of reforms to Stamp Duty Land Tax since 2010, including major reforms to the rates and overall structure of the tax, and the introduction and withdrawal of reliefs. Along with such reforms, a wide range of factors affect revenues from SDLT, including wider economic factors which impact the residential and commercial property markets. Where changes have been introduced, the estimates of the direct exchequer costs of these measures are available in the OBR’s policy measures database and the HM Treasury Red Book. http://budgetresponsibility.org.uk/download/policy-measures-database/

Taxation: Disclosure of Information

Bim Afolami: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent steps his Department has taken to work with other countries and multilateral institutions on ensuring global tax transparency.

Mel Stride: The UK has taken unprecedented action on tax transparency. Thanks to UK leadership, over 100 jurisdictions have now committed to automatically exchange tax information through the Common Reporting Standard. To encourage jurisdictions to commit to tax transparency standards, the UK has supported lists of non-co-operative jurisdictions at both the G20 and EU. The UK supports work in the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes and World Bank to help implement these standards, as well as directly supporting pilot projects to implement the common reporting standard in Ghana, Pakistan, and Nigeria.

Multinational Companies: Taxation

Bim Afolami: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department has taken to work with other countries and multilateral institutions on taxing global multinational digital businesses.

Mel Stride: The Government is committed to making sure multinational enterprises pay their fair share of tax in the UK. At Autumn Budget 2017, the Government published a position paper on corporate tax and the digital economy. The paper sets out that the Government thinks international corporate tax principles need updating for the digital age to ensure that they reflect the new ways businesses create value. The Government is also considering this issue at an international level. The UK actively supports and is working with the OECD’s Task Force on the Digital Economy, which is due to produce an interim report in Spring 2018. The Government is engaging constructively with EU discussions on this issue and agreed Council conclusions with other Member States at the December ECOFIN meeting.

Taxation

Adam Afriyie: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent steps he has taken to promote tax simplification.

Mel Stride: The government is committed to having a tax system that is simple to understand and easy to comply with. At Budget the government took a number of practical steps to simplify the tax rules for businesses and charities which included:Extending the option of using mileage rates to property businesses,Ending receipt checking on subsistence costs andSimplifying the Gift Aid donor benefits rules for charities. These measures build on the action taken by the government since 2010 to simplify the tax system including:Establishing the Office of Tax Simplification and then putting it on a permanent, statutory basisImplementing around half of the OTS’s recommendations since 2010.

Customs

Adam Afriyie: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans his Department has to increase the efficiency of customs clearance processes.

Mel Stride: The new CDS (Customs Declaration Service) will replace the current customs declaration computer system (CHIEF) in January 2019. CDS will provide businesses engaged in international trade with a robust, modern and flexible customs declaration service. ‘The Customs Future Partnership Paper’ published on 15 August 2017 sets out the Government’s aspirations for future customs arrangements with the EU. The two new models proposed are:- A highly streamlined customs arrangement- A new customs partnership with the EU The precise nature of any new customs arrangement will be determined in negotiations with the EU.

Taxation: Lesotho

Steve McCabe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the mandatory binding arbitration clause in the UK’s new tax treaty with Lesotho will help the Lesotho Government to combat tax avoidance and evasion.

Mel Stride: The UK’s new tax treaty with Lesotho, in common with all modern tax treaties, includes a “Mutual Agreement Procedure” provision allowing disagreements about the way the treaty should be applied to be resolved by agreement between the authorities in the two countries. The purpose of the mandatory binding arbitration provision is to provide a remedy in the exceptional circumstance that those authorities are unable to reach agreement after discussing the matter for two years. It works by referring the matter to an independent arbitration panel. Each country selects a panel member and those members then select a third member. The decision of the panel is then binding on the two countries. This ensures that disputes do not continue unresolved. Unresolved disputes about the operation of the tax treaty could otherwise result in double taxation; and the fundamental object of a tax treaty is to ensure that such double taxation is eliminated. The new treaty does contain a number of provisions to combat tax avoidance and evasion. These include the latest OECD standards on the exchange of tax information and mutual assistance in the recovery of tax debts. There are also specific anti-abuse rules in the articles governing the relief from taxation on dividends, interest, royalties and other income. These were included at the UK’s request and protect both countries against improper use of the treaty to avoid domestic tax liabilities.

Taxation: Lesotho

Steve McCabe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the lower rates of withholding tax for dividends and royalties in the UK’s new tax treaty with Lesotho will benefit Lesotho’s economy.

Mel Stride: By governing the taxation of cross-border income flows in a predictable manner and eliminating double taxation and excessive taxation, tax treaties promote international trade and investment, to the benefit of both countries’ economies. High withholding taxes are distortive and can exceed the net economic reward for investment, deterring cross-border investment and depriving the economies of both countries of its benefits. It is for each country that is party to a tax treaty to decide what approach it is happy with. However, given the long timescales, complex and shifting interactions with domestic law, large and unpredictable behavioural effects and the lack of a sensible comparator, it is not possible to produce meaningful estimates of the UK revenue effects of double taxation agreements, let alone the effects in the other country, and successive Governments have never attempted it.

Taxation: Treaties

Steve McCabe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will publish the objectives that it is seeking to achieve before any future negotiations on bilateral tax treaties.

Mel Stride: The Government’s objective in negotiating tax treaties is to reach an agreement that allocates taxing rights on a basis that is acceptable to both countries. This is a matter for bilateral negotiation, which may take a number of years. All tax treaties are published once signed and are subject to parliamentary scrutiny before they can take effect.

Taxation: Lesotho

Steve McCabe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government's new tax treaty with Lesotho is the first UK tax treaty with (a) any country or (b) a low or middle-income country to include a mandatory binding arbitration clause.

Mel Stride: This is not the case. In addition to Lesotho, the UK has mandatory binding arbitration provisions in tax treaties signed with: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uruguay.

Industry

Chi Onwurah: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure greater cooperation with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in order to achieve the objectives of the Industrial Strategy.

Robert Jenrick: The Industrial Strategy is an ambitious new partnership between government and businesses, academia, local government and devolved administrations, that will help the UK prepare for the future. The Industrial Strategy is a collaborative cross-Government project, with clear support from both the Prime Minister and Chancellor. Government departments will continue to work together to achieve the objectives outlined in the Industrial Strategy, including tackling the barriers to productivity growth and driving investment in the technologies of the future.

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Tax Allowances

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to bring forward legislative proposals to introduce tax relief to enable HGV drivers to claim an allowance for food and provisions bought in advance of overnight stays.

Mel Stride: Heavy Goods Vehicle drivers are, like other employees, able to claim tax relief for the cost of food and provisions incurred in the course of business travel. There are no plans to introduce tax relief for food and provisions purchased in advance for business journeys.

Tax Avoidance: Lesotho

Steve McCabe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps has he taken to ensure that the mandatory binding arbitration clause in the UK’s tax treaty with Lesotho cannot be used by UK businesses to demand of the Lesotho Government that it does not challenge tax avoidance by UK businesses operating in Lesotho.

Mel Stride: Before any UK business can access mandatory binding arbitration under the new tax treaty with Lesotho, it must present a case to HMRC explaining why it believes Lesotho is not applying the tax treaty properly. Only if HMRC agrees that the UK business’s case is justified can the matter be taken up between HMRC and the authorities in Lesotho under the Mutual Agreement Procedure. Where benefits of the tax treaty are justifiably denied by Lesotho because the UK business has engaged in tax avoidance arrangements, a case would not be accepted into the Mutual Agreement Procedure and it could not therefore reach the arbitration process. If a case is accepted into the Mutual Agreement Procedure, the authorities in the UK and Lesotho will discuss it and have two years to reach a mutually acceptable conclusion. Only if they do not succeed in that can the business request arbitration. If the case were to make it that far – and no case has so far ever been arbitrated under any of the UK’s treaties which include provision for it – an independent arbitration panel would consider the case on its merits. The UK is committed to countering tax avoidance, including arrangements that seek to abuse the provisions of our tax treaties or the domestic law of either treaty partner. The new tax treaty contains a range of provisions, which the UK requested, that prevent treaty benefits being granted in cases of tax avoidance.

Taxation: Developing Countries

Steve McCabe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will undertake an assessment of the potential merits of impact assessments of the effect on the (a) economy, (b) human rights and (c) environment of bilateral tax treaties between the UK and a low-income countries.

Mel Stride: In a Written Ministerial Statement on 15 March 2011, after impact assessments were introduced, the then Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury gave details of exceptions from the requirement to publish an impact assessment; secondary legislation enacting double taxation treaties was listed among them. The reason we have not produced an impact assessment is that tax treaties impose no obligations on taxpayers; rather they give UK residents relief from foreign tax in prescribed circumstances. They also provide relief from UK tax for non-residents in a comparable situation. Furthermore, as the benefits of tax treaties depend on dynamic changes of behaviour by taxpayers, it is incredibly difficult to analyse the impact of tax treaties. But by governing the taxation of cross-border income flows in a predictable manner and eliminating double taxation and excessive taxation, tax treaties promote international trade and investment, leading to sustainable tax revenues which are vital in financing for development.

Taxation: Lesotho

Steve McCabe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department requested the inclusion of a mandatory binding arbitration clause in the UK’s new tax treaty with Lesotho.

Mel Stride: The UK’s starting point in treaty negotiations is based closely on the OECD Model Tax Convention, which includes a mandatory binding arbitration clause. We believe this is a useful mechanism for resolving disputes and always request it in negotiations. But we respect the position of countries that do not wish to include it and there is never any question in negotiations of either side imposing conditions on the other. Lesotho was happy to agree the inclusion of the provision in the new treaty.

Taxation: Lesotho

Steve McCabe: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations his Department received from UK companies on the (a) negotiation and (b) ratification of the new tax treaty with Lesotho.

Mel Stride: No representations were received from UK companies on (a) the negotiation or (b) the ratification of the new tax treaty with Lesotho. It was Lesotho who approached the UK to seek renegotiation.

Shared Ownership: Stamp Duty Land Tax

Stephen Hammond: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of whether purchasers of shared ownership properties are benefiting from the the stamp duty exemption announced in Autumn Budget 2017; and whether purchasers who opt to stamp duty on the value of the initial share benefit from that exemption.

Mel Stride: First-time buyers of shared ownership property who choose to pay SDLT at purchase on the whole market value of the property can benefit from the relief. If the property is worth £300,000 or less, there will be no SDLT to pay. According to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government data, the median shared ownership market value is £220,000. Where market value treatment does not apply, or has not been opted for, the first-time buyers’ relief cannot be claimed. There is already a special SDLT treatment given to purchasers of new shared ownership properties. Purchasers can choose to pay SDLT on the initial portion purchased with a further SDLT charge if they buy the remaining share in the future.

Poverty: Children

Richard Burden: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the cost of living on levels of child poverty.

Elizabeth Truss: The proportion of people in absolute poverty is at record lows. Since 2010 there are 600,000 fewer people in absolute poverty, including 200,000 fewer children. Work is the most effective way out of poverty and unemployment has not been lower since 1975. There is more to do and the government is committed to supporting families with the cost of living. At the Autumn Budget, the government announced that from this April the National Living Wage will increase by 4.4% and the personal allowance to £11,850. The government has also frozen fuel duty for the eighth successive year. Last April, the government published its “Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families” strategy. This focused on measures that tackle the root causes of poverty, in particular workless households and educational attainment.

Poverty: Children

Richard Burden: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department plans to take in response to the recent findings of the End Child Poverty coalition on the levels of child poverty in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Elizabeth Truss: The proportion of people in absolute poverty is at record lows. Since 2010 there are 600,000 fewer people in absolute poverty, including 200,000 fewer children. Work is the most effective way out of poverty and unemployment has not been lower since 1975. The government is also taking action to boost the household incomes of low earners. From this April, the National Living Wage will increase to £7.83. Over 1.6 million people are expected to benefit and this is equivalent to a pay rise of £2000 for a full-time worker since its introduction. There is more to do and the government is committed to delivering a country that works for everyone. Last April, the government published its “Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families” strategy. This focused on measures that tackle the root causes of poverty.

Revenue and Customs: Staff

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January to Question 123164, for the (a) staff numbers and (b) budget for Customs A/B for each year since 2008.

Mel Stride: As per my previous answer, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) publishes staffing numbers and budgets each year in its Annual Report and Accounts, including the core department and agency information. The information is available at the following links:For 2012-13 to 2016-17:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrcs-annual-report-and-accounts For earlier years:http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.hmrc.gov.uk///about/reports.htm With the merger of Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise in 2005, HMRC was created as a single department. As a single integrated department, HMRC is no longer organised as a separate entity, nor does it report Customs as a separate entity.

Financial Inclusion Fund

Jeff Smith: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans have been put in place for the next round of the Financial Inclusion Fund; and will he make a statement.

John Glen: The Financial Inclusion Fund was announced at the 2004 Spending Review and supported initiatives to tackle financial exclusion. The fund ended in 2011. There is no provision for a further round of funding under this mechanism. The government recently announced that £55 million is set to be awarded to financial inclusion and capability initiatives, as part of funds totalling £330 million unlocked from dormant accounts. The government is also establishing a Financial Inclusion Policy Forum, bringing together ministers from other government departments, regulators, industry and consumer groups, to drive better coordination across government on financial inclusion.

Autumn Budget 2017: Equality and Poverty

Dan Jarvis: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will conduct an impact assessment of the effect on child (a) poverty and (b) inequality of Autumn Budget 2017.

Elizabeth Truss: Since 2010 there are 600,000 fewer people in absolute poverty, including 200,000 fewer children. Income inequality has also fallen since 2010. HM Treasury publishes regular analysis of the distributional impact of government tax and spending policy on household incomes. The most recent analysis was published alongside Autumn Budget 2017, which show that all households, except the top 10%, are better off on average as a result of this Chancellor’s decisions. The analysis also shows that Government policy is highly redistributive: in 2019-20, the lowest income households will receive over £4 in public spending for every £1 they pay in tax, while households in the highest income decile contribute over £5 in tax for every £1 they receive in public spending.

Cabinet Office

Government Departments: Contracts

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the Government's policy is on awarding contracts to companies which have issued profit warnings.

Oliver Dowden: The Government’s priority is to ensure the continued delivery of public services, and we have contingency plans in place to ensure this happens. We routinely stress-test contracts to ensure that if one party within a contract fails to deliver, the other parties involved will step in to complete the work.The majority of public procurement is governed by Public Contracts Regulations. These stipulate that public procurers have to award contracts through fair and open competition, in line with principles of equal treatment, transparency and non-discrimination. Suppliers have to meet certain criteria to be able to bid for public contracts, including a minimum level of financial and economic standing proven through turnover, audited accounts or other financial measures.Given that a large number of companies issue profit warnings from time to time, it is unrealistic to terminate all business with such a company as this would further undermine chances of company recoveryOnce Carillion had made the profit warnings, we took steps to ensure that greater degrees of protection were built into the small number of specific contracts that were awarded after July last year.

DHL

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to Answer of 19 January 2018 to Question 122912 on DHL, on what date the position of Crown Representative to DHL became vacant.

Oliver Dowden: The position of Crown Representative to DHL became vacant on 30 June 2017.The Crown Representatives comprise a vital component of the Strategic Supplier programme. They are not politically appointed but are contractors assigned to companies where they have detailed knowledge of the sector, but where there is no conflict with other concurrent roles.The time taken to identify and recruit high-calibre individuals who have the necessary skills and in depth knowledge required, and who have no conflict of interests with other roles, can be lengthy, but it is essential that we secure the best candidates.While Crown Representative positions are vacant, the responsibilities of the role were covered by the Government’s Chief Commercial Officer and the Cabinet Office Director of Markets and Suppliers.

ENGIE

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to Answer of 19 January 2018 to Question 122914 on ENGIE, on which date the position of Crown Representative to Engie (a) became vacant and (b) was filled.

Oliver Dowden: The position of Crown Representative to Engie became vacant on 16 August 2017 and was filled on 10 January 2018.The Crown Representatives comprise a vital component of the Strategic Supplier programme. They are not politically appointed but are contractors assigned to companies where they have detailed knowledge of the sector, but where there is no conflict with other concurrent roles.The time taken to identify and recruit high-calibre individuals who have the necessary skills and in depth knowledge required, and who have no conflict of interests with other roles, can be lengthy, but it is essential that we secure the best candidates.While Crown Representative positions are vacant, the responsibilities of the role were covered by the Government’s Chief Commercial Officer and the Cabinet Office Director of Markets and Suppliers.

British Telecom

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to Answer of 19 January 2018 to Question 122911 on British Telecom, on what date  position of Crown Representative to BT plc (a) became vacant and (b) was filled.

Oliver Dowden: The position of Crown Representative to BT became vacant on 30 September 2016 and was filled on 9 January 2018.The Crown Representatives comprise a vital component of the Strategic Supplier programme. They are not politically appointed but are contractors assigned to companies where they have detailed knowledge of the sector, but where there is no conflict with other concurrent roles.The time taken to identify and recruit high-calibre individuals who have the necessary skills and in depth knowledge required, and who have no conflict of interests with other roles, can be lengthy, but it is essential that we secure the best candidates.While Crown Representative positions are vacant, the responsibilities of the role were covered by the Government’s Chief Commercial Officer and the Cabinet Office Director of Markets and Suppliers.

Government Departments: Codes of Practice

Mr Clive Betts: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the guidance to Departments on preparing registers of ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings.

Mr David Lidington: Holding answer received on 29 January 2018



The guidance issued to Departments on the preparation of transparency listings of ministerial gifts, hospitality, overseas travel and external meetings is internal, and is to assist civil servants with the collection and collation of such transparency data.

Electoral Register

Cat Smith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to increase voter registration among attainers; and if she will issue special guidance to electoral registration officers on working with schools to increase voter registration among school leavers.

Chloe Smith: In the 2017 Spring Budget, the Chancellor announced £5m for projects to mark the Centenary of the Representation of the People and Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918 which, for the first time, gave women the right to vote. This money will support a year-long programme of activity some of which will be directed towards young people including attainers. Planned projects being delivered by a range of Government Departments include a resource pack for secondary schools, the creation of Democracy Ambassadors within the 13-16 age group and a resource pack for parliamentarians to use to shape engagement on democracy with young people.

Electoral Register

Cat Smith: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to review the declaration of local connection to enable people without a fixed address to register to vote online.

Chloe Smith: We are committed to considering improvements that could be made to the declaration of local connection process, including whether it can be moved online.

Mass Media: Internet

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Government Minister will have responsibility for the fake news rapid response team.

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what criteria the fake news rapid response team will use to decide whether news is fake or not.

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what powers the Government plans to give to the fake news rapid response unit; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Lidington: Government Communications falls under the portfolio of the Minister for the Constitution. As part of the Government’s existing media monitoring and press office arrangements, the team will enhance the Government Communication Service’s continuing efforts to ensure that false or inaccurate news reporting is responded to rapidly and that public debate is as far as possible based on facts. The team, will act as an extension of the Government’s existing media monitoring and press office arrangements, based in the Cabinet Office, to deal quickly with disinformation and reclaim a fact-based public debate, and has sufficient resources to fulfil this role.

Cabinet Office: Public Expenditure

Justin Madders: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department has spent on (a) art, (b) wine and (c) hospitality in each of the last seven financial years for which figures are available.

Mr David Lidington: The Cabinet Office has not purchased any art within the previous 7 financial years from 2010-11 to 2016-17. The information requested on hospitality is not held centrally and therefore is only available at disproportionate cost. Overall spend on Travel, Subsistence and Hospitality can be found in the Cabinet Office annual report and accounts. The annual report and accounts for financial year 2010-11 to 2016-17 are accessible from the Gov.uk website at www.gov.uk/government/publications The information requested on wine is not held centrally and therefore is only available at disproportionate cost.

Public Sector: Procurement

Jon Trickett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance he has issued on the management of conflicts of interest in respect of Crown Representatives.

Oliver Dowden: Holding answer received on 31 January 2018



Crown Representatives are subject to a conflict of interest process that is run every six months.

Department for International Trade

Department for International Trade: Chief Scientific Advisers

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many meetings he held with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between October and December 2017.

Greg Hands: Dr Mike Short CBE has recently taken up his position as Chief Scientific Advisor at the Department for International Trade (DIT). My Rt. Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade publicly welcomed his appointment when it was announced, stating how ‘Dr Short’s many decades of experience in technology, innovation and public policy will ensure that cutting-edge scientific and technical know-how is firmly at the core of DIT’s work’. The Secretary of State will be formally meeting Dr Short in the coming weeks.

Trade Agreements

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he has made of the number of new institutions that the UK will need to create to mirror the terms of existing trade agreements negotiated by the EU after the UK leaves the EU.

Greg Hands: The Government is seeking continuity for business, investors and consumers in relation to existing EU free trade agreements and other EU preferential arrangements.To this end, we have introduced legislation to Parliament which will put in place the necessary legal powers and structures to enable us to effectively transition existing trade agreements. This will ensure the UK is ready for exit, providing continuity for individuals, businesses, and international trading partners.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

European Capital of Culture

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when the Government became aware that UK cities would not be able to bid to be named European Capital of Culture; and when this was communicated to those cities that were so bidding.

Michael Ellis: The European Commission wrote to the Permanent Secretary for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on 22 November 2017. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library. The five candidate cities were informed of the European Commission’s decision on 23 November 2017.

Film: EU Action

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to promote international collaboration between  British and European film industries after the UK leaves the EU.

Margot James: The government remains committed to supporting the UK film industry and is consulting closely with stakeholders to ensure that the sector continues to thrive after the UK has left the EU. The Prime Minister has made clear that, where possible, we will continue to participate in specific policies and programmes where there is mutual benefit to both the UK and the EU. The UK film industry is a great success story, contributing over £4 billion a year to the economy, and British producers will continue to be able to co-produce films with international partners under the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-Production.

Charity Commission: Public Appointments

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps are taken to ensure balance in (a) political background, (b) gender, (c)age and (d) regional affinity in appointments to the board of the Charity Commission.

Tracey Crouch: Public appointments are made on merit, following a fair, open, and transparent competition, regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and in accordance with the Cabinet Office Governance Code for Public Appointments. Ministers are provided with information about the diversity, skills and experience of the existing board at the start of each public appointments recruitment campaign. The Public Appointments Diversity Action Plan published in December 2017 sets out our ambition that by 2022, 50% of public appointees should be female, and 14% of all public appointments should be from ethnic minorities. Bearing in mind the Public Sector Equality duty, board vacancies are promoted through a variety of channels, many of which are targeted specifically at underrepresented groups. The Governance Code states that political activity should not affect any judgement of merit nor be a bar to appointment.

Broadband Delivery UK

Sir Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps BDUK is taking to engage with stakeholders; and what stakeholders BDUK has met with in the last 12 months.

Margot James: BDUK has extensive engagement with a wide range of stakeholders. Over the last 12 months BDUK has met with representatives from across the following stakeholder groups: central, local, and devolved governments; the European Commission; Ofcom; communications providers; suppliers; local communities; and industry bodies.

Broadband

Sir Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what evaluation measures the Government plans to put in place for the superfast broadband roll-out.

Margot James: The Department is currently undertaking evaluation of the Superfast Broadband Programme’s role in improving broadband connectivity and reaching areas that would otherwise not have been reached through commercial plans. The evaluation is focusing on the economic and social impacts of the programme, including the impact of the superfast programme on business performance and growth, employment, on quality of life and the reduction in benefits claimants in areas that would have lost out to higher connectivity areas, if it were not for the programme. The Department released The UK Broadband Impact Study in 2013 which made an assessment of the impacts of faster broadband including the economic impacts. The study can be accessed on the Department's website (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-broadband-impact-study--2). The Department will be producing results from the current evaluation in 2018.

Broadband: Universal Service Obligation

Sir Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the 10Mbps minimum speed for broadband under the universal service obligation will be the minimum speed consumers receive in their homes at peak times; and if he will make a statement.

Margot James: The Department is currently undertaking evaluation of the Superfast Broadband Programme’s role in improving broadband connectivity and reaching areas that would otherwise not have been reached through commercial plans. The evaluation is focusing on the economic and social impacts of the programme, including the impact of the superfast programme on business performance and growth, employment, on quality of life and the reduction in benefits claimants in areas that would have lost out to higher connectivity areas, if it were not for the programme. The Department released The UK Broadband Impact Study in 2013 which made an assessment of the impacts of faster broadband including the economic impacts. The study can be accessed on the Department's website (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-broadband-impact-study--2). The Department will be producing results from the current evaluation in 2018.

Broadband

Sir Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that new build developments are connected to fibre broadband; and if he will take steps to ensure that new build developments in North East Hertfordshire are connected to fibre broadband.

Margot James: My Department brokered an agreement in February 2016 between the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and Openreach to connect new build developments to superfast broadband, and where possible, ultrafast broadband. Both Virgin Media and the utility provider GTC have made similar agreements with the HBF. Whilst these voluntary agreements between industry stakeholders have been successful and are welcomed, we are monitoring their effectiveness closely. DCMS’ Barrier Busting Task Force are prepared to explore further measures, including legislative options, if necessary in order to ensure residents get the connectivity they deserve.

House of Commons Commission

Palace of Westminster: Post Offices

Frank Field: To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, (a) how many and (b) which hon. Members were consulted about the change in the opening hours of the post office in Members' Lobby.

Tom Brake: In response to a Post Office Counters Ltd (POCL) request under its Memorandum of Understanding with both Houses of Parliament, the House of Commons Administration Committee agreed a change to the opening hours of the Post Office counter located in Members Lobby. This change altered the closing time of the counter on Sitting Days from 2200 to 1900.Because of the timing of the 2017 General Election and the delay in setting up Domestic Committees, the Administration Committee was notified of the change some considerable time after POCL gave notice that it would need to reduce the opening hours for staffing reasons.The decision was made at the Committee’s meeting on 11 December 2017, and implemented from 8 January 2018. Whilst there was no House-wide consultation with hon. Members, the Committee based its decision around data on usage of the counter facility, ensuring value for money whilst avoiding unnecessary duplication of services.